


Foresight

by Asenath (Asenath8)



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Awkward Sexual Situations, F/M, Forbidden Love, Masturbation, POV Third Person Omniscient, Premarital Sex, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-28
Updated: 2014-03-19
Packaged: 2018-01-14 07:40:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1258336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asenath8/pseuds/Asenath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Lúthien returns to Menegroth after years of wandering, a young Thranduil falls for her...hard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [abbyforth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/abbyforth/gifts).



> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * Eglador = Doriathrin name for Doriath  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> feä = spirit  
> Ada = Daddy  
> iellig = my daughter (diminutive, endearing)  
> Naneth = Mother  
> aran nîn = my king  
> brethil = princess

The day was warmer than usual in Eglador*, which is why Thranduil decided to chance a walk outside the caves of Menegroth. He generally preferred the comfort and security of the caves and rarely went wandering, but today he felt like doing something a bit different. He dressed in his usual dark green tunic, in order to blend in with the trees, and quietly left the dark caves.

The leaves crunched under Thranduil’s feet as he walked, but at the moment he did not care if he was seen or heard. There was nothing in the forest that frightened him. He carried his bow and quiver in case anything was to pass the Girdle of Melian unexpectedly, though the mere thought of that was laughable.

As he walked the familiar paths through the forest the young elf could hear faint music coming from a nearby glade. He could recognize Daeron’s flute from miles away and turned his course toward the sound. His steps became quiet and careful so as not to disturb the minstrel. His ears ached to listen to the beauty that Daeron created through music, so he followed the whistle of the flute in order to hear it better.

When the music sounded so close he felt as though he could touch it, Thranduil peeked his face around a tree and a beheld a sight that all but took his breath from his body. The view of Daeron sitting under a tree with his flute was not unusual in the slightest; in fact it looked completely natural for him to be there, the carven wood touching his lips. Rather it was the elleth* dancing in the midst of the glade with her dress flowing gracefully around her that caused Thranduil to become weak. All motion in his body stopped the second he laid eyes on her. He stopped breathing, his heart stopped beating, and his muscles froze tightly. His gaze was fixed on the gorgeous elleth dressed in a piercing light blue that perfectly matched her eyes. Her long, brown locks bounced as she twirled in time with the music.

Thranduil knew that in years past King Thingol’s daughter Lúthien would dance in the woods as Daeron played his flute, but she tended to wander far from Menegroth and had not been seen since before Thranduil reached manhood. At first his mind was unable to register or remember this fact, or even his own name for that matter, but, once the wheels in his brain restarted, he assumed this must be the elleth he vaguely remembered from his youth. He thought back to his time as a young elf growing up in Menegroth and closed his eyes, trying desperately to picture Lúthien in his memories. _Yes._ He thought to himself as he remembered back to his younger days when the beautiful elleth used to play with him as though he were her younger brother. _Though she is lovelier now than I ever remember her being._

After many minutes, or possibly hours, of watching Lúthien dance, Thranduil attempted to pull himself away. He had no idea how long he had been standing there. It could have been days or weeks for all he knew or cared, but it was unusual for him to be outside of the caves for any long period of time and his subconscious realized he should be home. He took several deep, steadying breaths before turning his back on the glade where Daeron and Lúthien were still frolicking. As he took his first step, however, he was not careful enough and caused twig to snap lightly. He cursed his large feet and froze in his steps.

Daeron immediately stopped playing while Lúthien wound herself in a circle, looking for the source of the noise. “Hello?” she called out into the air. “Who’s there?” Thranduil briefly considered showing himself and greeting the two elves. Instead, he ran as fast as he could for Menegroth, almost floating over the forest floor with his quick pace.

Daeron and Lúthien looked at each other in curiosity. The minstrel shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows. “I did not see anything. Whoever or whatever was here a few moments ago is not here now.”

“You’re right,” Lúthien replied softly. “But I know it was a who, not a what. I could feel the feä* of an elf. The only question is who saw us. I am not yet ready for my father to know I am back, but I fear whoever this was will report immediately back to him.” Lúthien thought for a short moment, then smiled sweetly at Daeron, completely undoing him. “Could you go see for me…please?”

Daeron could not resist a request from Lúthien even under normal circumstances, but that little smile of hers made it impossible to refuse. “Of course,” he answered, immediately stowing his flute in a deep pocket as he rose to his feet. “You know I will keep your secret, and I will find whoever saw us.” He took several long strides toward the graceful elleth, then gently took her hand and bent down to kiss the soft skin. He stood up and looked into her eyes with a shy smile before leaving the clearing at a quick trot.

Lúthien’s eyes followed Daeron’s movements, yet her face betrayed little emotion toward him. She knew how he felt about her, but unfortunately she could not return his love. She sighed heavily and sat with her back to one of the trees. Lúthien recognized the feä she had sensed earlier, but she could not yet place a face and name to the feeling. It felt friendly and warm to her, almost like a family member but yet not a blood relation.

The elleth sat for some time trying to work out the puzzle, but without success. She was unused to this feeling of unease as she ran over the possibilities in her mind, and it troubled her greatly. Lúthien reasoned that Daeron would probably not find the mysterious elf and that her father would find out about her presence so close to home. She did not want to have Thingol alerted by someone else and so decided that it was time to return to the Caves of Menegroth.

A breeze ran through the forest as Lúthien stood and blew several leaves toward her face. She smiled and playfully batted them out of her eyes before nimbly dancing her way out of the glade and through the trees. She knew ways to make it back to Menegroth swiftly, hoping to beat both the mystery elf and Daeron to the gates, but Thranduil had too much of a head start and was already within the caves when she passed the guards, shocking them with her sudden and quite unexpected presence.

Lúthien made her way to the king’s throne room without stopping to speak with anyone on the way even though heads turned toward her every second. As she entered the hall, the golden light glimmered on her hair, making it appear as though she glowed. A large grin played across King Thingol’s lips as he spied his only daughter. “You are late,” he joked with her.

“Ada*…” Lúthien grinned and walked quickly up to her father with open arms. “I am sorry for staying away so long, but you know how much I love the forest. I have yet to see every tree in Eglador.”

The king took his daughter into his arms in a warm embrace, kissing her gently on her forehead. “I know, but it does not keep me from missing you, iellig*. There are so many trees near Menegroth. Why not count those for a change?”

Lúthien laughed in her sweet, feminine way. “I have counted each one within many miles of here numerous times. But I do plan to stay here at least a short while, so do not fear. Where is Naneth*?”

“She is in our chambers, I believe. She will be quite happy to see you as well.”

“I will go to see her.” Lúthien paused for a moment before proceeding. “Did anyone come to see you right before I arrived?”

The king looked at her curiously, as her question seemed to him almost out of the blue. “No…at least not in the last hour or two. Why do you ask?”

“No reason.” She answered, almost a bit too quickly. King Thingol raised his eyebrows but did not say another word as his daughter turned to leave. Before she could reach the doors, however, they opened suddenly, causing both elves to look over in alarm.

Thranduil had gone to his chambers immediately upon arriving back in the caves. He sat there for a while thinking about what he had witnessed and finally came to the conclusion that he should speak with King Thingol to confirm if the elleth dancing was truly his daughter. He never actually needed to ask with words as he obtained his answer when he swept into the king’s throne room and saw the two look up at him in surprise. Thranduil’s cheeks began to feel hot with embarrassment. “I…I am sorry for interrupting you, aran nîn*.” He looked down, gritting his teeth.

“No, it is all right. Lúthien was actually on her way out,” the king replied. “Is there something I can help you with, Thranduil?”

“Thranduil?!” Luthien exclaimed with a small gasp, finally realizing who it was that saw her with Daeron. The feeling of familiarity of his feä was the same that she felt just a few hours prior. She met his gaze and immediately recognized his face, even though he had been but a child when they had last spoken. His maturity and stature surprised her, as was his informality with her father, not to mention his handsome features and captivating eyebrows.

Thranduil nervously glanced at Lúthien when she spoke his name, shivering at the sound of it coming from her lips. “Yes, brethil*. Welcome back to Menegroth.”

A soft pink flushed Lúthien’s cheeks, which did not go unnoticed by the king. Thingol sat on his throne watching the exchange between his daughter and the young elf with a slight smirk on his lips. He could not have planned this better himself even had he tried. The king pressed his fingers together and held them up against his mouth silently while Daeron, peering in from the doorway, scowled as he saw the way Thranduil and Lúthien looked at each other.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil seeks his father's counsel regarding Lúthien, then Oropher brings his request to King Thingol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * Ada = Daddy  
> ionneg = my son  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> Eglador = Doriathrin name for Doriath  
> rîn vell = beloved queen  
> Arda = Earth  
> Eru = God  
> Balannor = Aman/Valinor/Blessed Realm/Undying Lands

Thranduil navigated the Caves of Menegroth with expert ease. He had been born there and grew up wandering the caverns alone, though he remembered that when he was an elf-child Lúthien would sometimes join him. He had a feeling either his father or hers used to send her to keep him out of trouble, but he welcomed her calming presence. She told him stories, taught him songs, and danced for him. She was even able to frequently entice him to leave the caves so she could dance in the trees. But when Lúthien left over fifty years ago, Thranduil lost his appetite for exploring the outside world. Until this day he had always thought of her as a sister, but perhaps that was merely because he had been too young to know about love and attraction when she had last been seen in Menegroth.

Thranduil’s feet took him swiftly to his father Oropher’s chambers. He assumed that his father had not yet been informed of Lúthien’s arrival, and he wished to speak with him as soon as possible. The door to the chambers was ajar when he walked up so that when he knocked it opened slightly. A low, melodious voice came from the chambers within. “Enter…”

“Ada*, it’s me,” Thranduil called into the room as he walked inside.

“Oh! What brings you to here, ionneg*?”

“There has been an arrival in Menegroth. Lúthien has returned.”

Oropher’s eyebrows raised noticeably, his eyes widening in surprise. Though he did not know why Lúthien had left, the implications of her return were obvious. He and Thingol could now put their plans into action, but they needed to act quickly before she disappeared again. Oropher rose and strode elegantly across the room toward his son. “This is good news.” He cleared his throat lightly before continuing. “Have you yet seen the princess?”

“Yes, actually I have. That is why I needed to speak with you…alone.” Thranduil took several calming deep breaths. He knew how strict King Thingol was with his daughter, but he was hopeful that Oropher, as the king’s main advisor, would have some influence with him.

Oropher knew his son well and could immediately sense the urgency of his request. “What is troubling you?”

“I am not quite sure how to put this. I have never been romantically interested in any elleth* before, so I do not know the proper way to proceed.” Thranduil paused, wanting to clarify his words so his father would not mistake him. “I have not spoken with the lady Lúthien as of yet, at least not beyond a few words of greeting. But I saw her dancing in the forest before she arrived back in the caves, and she captured my heart. I cannot close my eyes without seeing her, and I am greatly distressed.” He put his face into his hands.

Oropher put a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder, biting his tongue in an effort not to smile while his son was in such a troubled mood. “I understand. This is how I felt when I first met your mother. Take my advice. Now that you have grown into your maturity, get to know Lúthien, but do not pressure her. She is a free spirit and will not take lightly to being chained by anyone.”

Thranduil gasped and looked at his father in horror. “I have no wish to chain her! Even were we to…to…” Thranduil could not even bring himself to say the word, as marriage had never even crossed his own mind prior to now.

“That is understood, but still. You must win her heart if you wish to be with her at all. I will give you my blessing to attempt it, but I cannot imagine it will be easy.”

“What about the king? Will he approve of such a match? I do not want to pursue Lúthien without his leave. You know I am loyal to him, if nothing else.”

Oropher pursed his lips and nodded slowly. “Yes, that you are, and the king knows this. I believe he would give you leave to attempt to win his daughter’s love. But of course we must ask him first. I will speak to him myself, if that is what you are asking me to do.” He raised his eyebrows questioningly as his gaze pierced through his son.

“I would ask this of you, please. I need to be sure before I proceed with wooing the princess. I do not wish to make a fool of myself in front of the court. Or worse...banished from Eglador*.”

Thranduil’s father shook his head and gently patted his son’s shoulder. “Do not trouble yourself with these worries. It does not suit you, to be frankly honest. Be your confident, brave, and adventurous self as that is what the princess will find attractive about you.”

The young elf could not help but let out a short chuckle at his father’s words. He chanced look sideways and smiled. “Adventurous? Me? Are you suggesting I actually spend time outside the caves? Surely you jest.”

“Remind me again where you saw the lady dancing?”

The silence rang as Thranduil grimaced, knowing he was beaten. “Point taken. Though I have no idea what possessed me to leave the comfort of Menegroth even for a moment.”

“Perhaps it was fate, ionneg?”

“I do not believe in fate, Ada,” Thranduil answered matter-of-factly. He let out a drawn-out sigh before moving to leave the chambers. Oropher watched as his son turned on his heel and strode out the door.

Oropher’s first instinct was to immediately seek out King Thingol, but he did want Melian to be present. He knew she would not approve of a match between Thranduil and Lúthien, as she had stated so many times previously. But he knew he must attempt to sway her. Things were different now with Lúthien home.

The king’s counselor picked up his long, maroon robe from the chair where it had been lazily dropped earlier and swung it over his shoulders in one swift motion. He then darted effortlessly out of his chambers as if he were floating more than walking. His footsteps were almost silent as he made his way to the king’s throne room. Unlike his son, however, he knocked and obtained permission before entering even though the door was wide open.

King Thingol was almost expecting Oropher to come see him. Earlier that evening he had sent Thranduil to fetch his wife Melian in order to reunite mother and daughter. Lúthien now stood by her mother’s gilded throne and spoke with her in hushed, rapid whispers. The two of them smiled and laughed while the king watched and planned his next move. He was hoping the two elleth would leave before Oropher sought his audience, but he was not so lucky.

The three royals looked up at Oropher as he entered and bowed. The king’s advisor was glad that his son had notified him of Lúthien’s arrival, because he was able to prepare himself to see her when he looked over. Her beauty radiated and captivated the minds of those who saw her. Those who were unprepared, such as Thranduil, could become easily overwhelmed by it.

The king beckoned him over, hoping to have a quiet, private conversation with him even with his wife and daughter in the room. “What news, Oropher?”

Oropher bent toward the king’s ear, ignoring his question. “I assume you know why I am here.”

The king gave a curt nod of his head, attempting not to show any emotion. “Yes, I believe I do,” he whispered back. “I need to speak with you immediately. Let me dismiss the elleth.” King Thingol looked up and turned toward his wife. “Melian, Lúthien…I need to speak with Oropher in private, if I may.”

Melian, knowing full well what they were planning to discuss, replied quickly in a brisk tone. “Anything you wish to say to him can be said with me present. Lúthien, I will talk more with you later.”

Lúthien nodded with a soft smile, blithely oblivious to the now hostile environment in the throne room. She bowed respectfully to her parents, smiled sweetly at Oropher, and then hurried out of the throne room, heading quickly for her own chambers.

“Melian…” King Thingol began, but his wife put her hand up as if to stop him speaking.

“No. I will not entertain this discussion. I have spoken my piece many times before, and the answer remains no.”

“Rîn vell*…” Oropher began.

“Do not ‘rîn vell’ me, Oropher,” Melian mocked angrily. “I know what you and my husband wish. I realize you both believe this to be some fantastic idea, and if I did not have the gifts I do I would probably agree with you. But the entire future of Arda* is at stake here. If Lúthien marries Thranduil it would be a complete disaster. I beg of you both; do not encourage this nonsense.”

The king turned to his wife with a soft sigh. “You did not see what I did earlier this eve when Lúthien arrived. Fate is already at work here. Thranduil and Lúthien have seen each other, and I caught them looking coyly at one another.”

“That is not all,” Oropher added before Melian could speak again. Both king and queen turned to look at him curiously, and the king’s advisor cleared his throat nervously. “Thranduil saw Lúthien dancing in the forest. He is smitten.”

Melian groaned and put her face into her hands. “No. For the love of Eru*, no!”

King Thingol, on the other hand, was having a difficult time keeping a grin from spreading across his face. “Is he, now? What did he say to you?”

Oropher looked anxiously from Thingol to Melian and back before speaking. His words came rushed and in a whisper, as if he were afraid to say what he knew he had to. “He wishes for your blessing to court Lúthien.”

Thingol could not help but laugh and clap his hands with joy, though Melian shot him a warning look, as she bit back an angry and horrified scream. Thingol and Melian spoke at the same time, the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ mingling in the air.

“It is fate for them to be together,” the king argued, facing his wife.

Melian replied harshly, “If you truly believe that after everything I have told you, then Círdan has a boat to sell you to take you to Balannor*.”

Thingol grimaced. “That was uncalled for. I saw the way they looked at each other, and it is obvious that Thranduil has already spoken with Oropher about our daughter. We should leave them alone and allow them to make their own decisions on this matter.”

“I cannot stand by and watch the entire world burn! I will not allow them to wed, and that is my final word.”

King Thingol closed his eyes briefly before chancing a look at his wife and then turned to Oropher. “Tell your son that while I cannot encourage him to court Lúthien, I will neither prohibit him from doing this, and he will find no punishment in so doing.” Melian glared at her husband, but he continued. “And that is my final word…for now.”

Oropher bowed to the royal couple and thanked them, knowing that this was the best outcome he could have hoped for at the present time. Realizing he had been dismissed, the king’s advisor turned and departed the throne room to go looking for his son. He figured that Thranduil would be in his chambers by now and made his way quickly through the caves.

Oropher arrived at his son’s room within minutes and gave a sharp knock on his door. He was surprised that it was closed, as Thranduil was known to keep his door open even as he did himself. The only time it was ever closed was when he felt a need to be alone or sometimes when he was sleeping and did not wish to be disturbed.

When the knock went unanswered, Oropher tried the door and found it locked. He jiggled the handle again, but the door did not move. He briefly considered kicking it, but realized there was no point in this. He pressed his ear to the wood to see if he could possibly hear Thranduil inside, but all was quiet. Obviously either his son was not in or he did not wish to be disturbed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil seeks to find relief from his feelings regarding Lúthien, but he has an unexpected visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * elleth = female elf/elves  
> brethil = princess

Thranduil grumbled quietly when he left the throne room. He had been ordered to find the queen and let her know that her daughter had returned. Melian was not always easy to locate, but he was lucky on this particular day. He found the queen in her private chambers and delivered the news to her without incident. Melian was overjoyed, as he had expected, and she rushed to the throne room to greet Lúthien.

As soon as he was dismissed Thranduil sought out his father then once again trod the familiar path to his own chambers. They were not far from the royal chambers, and he wondered briefly where Lúthien herself would be staying. As soon as the thought crossed into his mind he shook his head forcefully to force it to leave. It was entirely inappropriate for him to wonder about where the princess would be sleeping, bathing or doing anything else.

Thranduil left the door of his chambers slightly ajar, as he always did, and immediately headed for his bathroom. A very, very cold bath would be in order this evening. He had never needed relief this badly before, and he was not sure he would be able to sleep without it. The young elf hoped that the cool water would ease the ache enough for him to rest.

He slipped effortlessly out of his green tunic and was careful to hang it up in his closet before doing anything else. Thranduil took pride in his appearance and was not one for getting his clothes wrinkled or otherwise dirty, and he made it a point to keep his chambers neat and tidy. The young elf stood in front of his glass mirror briefly and gazed at his reflection. He wondered if he would have a chance at winning the heart of a perfect elleth* such as Lúthien and could not help but chuckle lightly at the nearly impossible thought.

Thranduil trailed his warm fingertips down the front of his chest absentmindedly, imagining that it was Lúthien’s slender fingers. Yet as soon as the idea entered his mind, he gasped and chastised himself for having such improper thoughts. He reminded himself that he was fantasizing about the king’s daughter and would probably be banished or killed for less. The handsome elf took a deep breath and wiggled out of his pants, then draped them neatly over a hanger and placed them alongside his tunic in the closet.

It seemed to Thranduil that a cool breeze whipped through the room at that moment, and he involuntarily hugged his chest, rubbing his arms to warm them slightly. He quickly walked to the tub and filled it with cool, crisp water. He dipped a foot into the liquid to get used to the temperature before hopping in. His light splash upon entering sent a small wave of water over the sides of the tub and onto the floor.

Thranduil laid his head against the side of the bath and closed his eyes. Immediately his mind pictured Lúthien dancing in the glade as she had been doing hours previously. As much as he attempted to rid this picture from his mind, he found it impossible to do so. In an attempt to distract himself, he grabbed the bar of soap from the edge of the bath and began to massage it gently along his arms. 

The fragrance of the soap calmed him, and the lather refreshed his skin as Thranduil bathed himself, but it was not enough to keep Lúthien out of his thoughts. When he reached down to soap off his shaft, he was annoyed to find it still hard. He cursed in his mind and sighed loudly. The cool water had done nothing for his arousal.

Thranduil had no choice but to fix this or risk not being able to sleep. He placed the soap back in its small container by the tub and reached into the water once again. Thranduil let out a soft moan the moment his strong hand grasped his length. He had been craving release from his arousal nearly the entire time since he first laid eyes on Lúthien. As his hand began slow, even strokes a faint smile grew on his lips. He could almost see Lúthien doing this to him, and that made it feel even better.

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As soon as Lúthien was dismissed from the throne room, she headed toward her old chambers. She was surprised to find the door slightly open, as she always kept the door firmly closed and usually locked. She could not imagine any reason for someone to enter her private space and was curious as to why anyone would have opened the door in her absence.

Lúthien entered the room then quickly closed and locked the door behind her. As she gazed around she felt as though something was different. The bed was made the same way it always had been, the table and chairs were in the same place, and even the rug by the fireplace had not moved, but the room felt strange and foreign to her as if it were no longer hers. She shook her head to put this thought out of her mind. She could not imagine that her parents would have given her chambers to another elf, even if she had not told them when or if she would ever return from her travels.

The beautiful elleth walked gracefully to her favorite chair and sat down, running her hands over the familiar fabric. A soft smile brightened her face as she relaxed, but the smile almost immediately faded when her thoughts turned to Thranduil. She was greatly disturbed by the way she felt when they looked at one another. She remembered him as being a rambunctious elf-child, but now that he had grown into his maturity she was taken aback by his courteous nature and his fantastic smile. The eyebrows didn’t hurt, either…

Lúthien ran her fingers through her hair as she thought about Thranduil. No other elf had ever given her chills with just a glance, yet that was how she felt when their eyes met. He was handsome, no doubt, but could she see herself as more than just his friend? She sighed lightly, considering what her father might say if she asked him about Thranduil.

It was then that Lúthien heard a soft moan coming from the bathroom. She looked around in fear and anger, wondering who would be so crass as to invade her personal chambers and use the bathroom. So as not to be seen or heard, she tiptoed her way to the door of the bathroom and peered inside. The sight that met her eyes made her knees weak and forced her to grab the doorpost with both hands to keep her body from falling to the ground.

Thranduil was completely unaware of his audience. He was too busy picturing Lúthien in various states of undress to realize she was now watching him caress himself. He pumped his hand slightly faster over his shaft and gently squeezed as he moved, making the water ripple at the surface of the bath. 

Lúthien clapped a hand over her mouth in order not to scream and turned a bright shade of red. She could not believe her eyes. Thranduil was sitting naked in her bathtub jerking off! She backed away slowly then wondered if possibly she had come into the wrong bedroom entirely. 

The princess looked around nervously, taking in every detail in the room. She knew she was in the right place. Lúthien quickly made her way over to the closet and opened it, expecting to find her dresses. Instead, she gazed upon the entirety of Thranduil’s wardrobe, including the tunic and pants he had placed there earlier.

Lúthien came to the conclusion, rightly, that the king had given Thranduil her old chambers when he had matured into an adult. The king had had no idea when or if his daughter planned to return, and as Thranduil was the nearest thing he had to a son, a royal chamber was the perfect coming-of-age gift for him.

The beautiful elleth was backing slowly toward the door that she had locked when she arrived when she heard her name murmured from the bathroom. Thranduil was nearing his climax, and he was calling out Lúthien’s name in his growing ecstasy. Thinking she had been seen, Lúthien walked back to the bathroom door to admit to him that she had been watching him.

“Lúthien…” Thranduil moaned loudly as his hand moved quickly over his rigid member. He groaned, knowing he was so close, and wished it were really Lúthien giving him pleasure with her hands and mouth. Lúthien, now standing at the doorway, stood silently watching him for a moment, completely in awe.

Thranduil moved his other hand beneath the water to massage his sac, bringing his peak almost to fruition. The water made his strokes fluid and effortless, but his hips kept bucking out of control, even bringing his body slightly out of the water, allowing Lúthien a clear view of exactly what he was doing. The young elf’s body shuddered under his ministrations. “Lúthien…Please…” 

The request brought Lúthien out of her trance, and she answered him without thinking. “I am here, Thranduil.”

The princess’s voice startled Thranduil, and he opened his eyes to look at her just as his climax began. He cried out in Eru’s name as his seed made an arc over the water, his eyes fixed on Lúthien’s face. Lúthien stared back at him, unable to break her gaze from his undulating body and the whitish liquid that continued to pour forth from his shaft every time he pumped his hand.

As soon as his climax completed, Thranduil collapsed into the water. “Lúthien…what in Eru’s name are you doing here…I…I could not possibly be more ashamed and embarrassed if I had tried.” He stupidly covered his face with his hands and smeared his sticky juices on his cheeks and eyebrows.

Lúthien backed away from the door without speaking and collapsed into a small heap on the bed. Thranduil took advantage of this and cleaned himself up, washing both hands and face in the bath water so as not to appear even more obscene when he left the bathroom. He wrapped a towel around his torso as he hopped out of the tub and walked quickly to where Lúthien sat, dripping water into small puddles on the floor as he did so.

“I had no idea they gave you my chambers. I am so sorry,” Lúthien apologized, avoiding his gaze as her cheeks flushed a deep scarlet.

Thranduil shook his head. “No, it is I who am sorry. I did not realize these had once been your chambers or I would have said something to you before I departed the throne room earlier this eve.”

Lúthien nodded, realizing that no one was at fault here or that possibly they had been set up. She stowed that thought away before turning to Thranduil. “Why did you call my name? Did you see me?”

“Oh…well…I…to be quite honest…” Thranduil stammered, wondering if he should tell the truth or make something up.

“Did you know I was here?”

“No, brethil*, I did not.”

Lúthien closed her eyes. “You were…doing what you were doing and…you were thinking about me?” She was not sure she wanted to know the answer, but she was quite curious.

“Yes,” Thranduil answered simply, trying not to get himself into more trouble. At the moment he was terrified Lúthien would tell her parents what he had done, and he would be punished so severely he would wish he were dead.

Lúthien glanced over at him and took a deep breath. “I have seen and heard things I should not have, but, having seen it, I…I am glad that I did. Now that you have grown into your maturity, I would like to get to know you properly, Thranduil. My memories of you are as an elf-child, and you are no longer that boy.”

“I would wish that too,” Thranduil mumbled, still too terrified to speak in longer sentences, though at the moment he was aching to take the gorgeous elleth sitting beside him into his arms.

Lúthien let out a small giggle. “I can imagine you would, considering what I just witnessed. But we have one problem that needs to be solved immediately this evening.”

Thranduil looked at her in terror. “What would that be?”

“I have nowhere to sleep!” The princess smiled sweetly at Thranduil, realizing they had similar feelings toward one another that needed to be nurtured.

“I will give up my chambers. There is no question you should have your own back.”

Lúthien shook her head and replied, “Absolutely not. They were a gift to you, and you shall keep them.”

“Then where will you sleep? Surely you will not sleep outside in a tree!”

“It would not be the first time, and it most assuredly would not be the last.”

“No. You have returned from your journey and should take a comfortable bed. I will sleep elsewhere, and I will not have an argument.”

Lúthien was impressed by Thranduil’s attempts at chivalry and purity, and she was seconds from accepting his offer when there was a violent knock on the door. The two elves looked at each other in horror and remained completely silent.

Thranduil could hear his father’s voice outside the door calling him, and his heart dropped into his feet. Both elves watched the door and could see the handle move from the inside, but, as Lúthien had locked the door earlier, Oropher was not able to enter. Thranduil looked at the princess with relief.

Lúthien bent close to Thranduil’s ear and whispered so she would not be heard. “Your father cannot find us here like this. We will have to stay together tonight. Neither of us can risk being seen leaving these chambers.”

Thranduil nodded and whispered to Lúthien, “I will sleep on the floor.”

“No, you will sleep in your own bed.”

“But, Lúthien!”

Lúthien shook her head and climbed under the warm blankets, making herself comfortable. “I trust you.”

Thranduil’s cheeks turned a light red, and he joined Luthien under the covers, wrapping his towel even more securely around himself. “I give you my word.” He paused for a moment then continued with a slight hesitation, “But…may I hold you?”

Lúthien turned and looked at Thranduil with her glowing smile. Without answering him she moved herself close to his body and cuddled it. Thranduil draped his arm over her waist and laid his head on the pillow, trying to force back a grin. 

The knocks on the door had long subsided when the two elves finally fell into a peaceful slumber, snuggled warmly in each other’s arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melian finds the missing lovebirds, and she is not happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * aran nîn = my king  
> Eru Ilúvatar = God Almighty  
> feär = spirits  
> maia = lesser diety, like an angel but not  
> rîn nîn = my queen  
> Naneth = Mother  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> brethil = princess

Oropher awoke early the next morning and prepared himself to assist King Thingol with his daily duties. As usual his walk to the throne room brought him past his son’s chamber door. He looked at it with a furrowed brow, noting the door was still closed. He did not have time to stop to investigate and hoped he would find Thranduil at his usual guard post by the door of the throne room.

Only one guard stood by the door when Oropher walked in, and it was not Thranduil. He raised an eyebrow and hummed lightly under his breath, wondering what could possibly have become of his son. He strode the length of the room and bowed before the king. “Aran nîn*,” he began respectfully before straightening and looking at the king, “have you, by any chance, seen Thranduil this morning?”

“I have not. Why? Is he missing?” The king looked curiously at his advisor while his wife looked at him intensely as if she were thinking extremely hard.

Oropher shrugged, not wanting to alarm the royal couple. As an afterthought and to redirect attention he added, “Have you seen Lúthien?”

The king shook his head. “No, I have not seen her since last night. Why? Is she missing?” The king chuckled slightly to ease the tension in the room. 

Melian squirmed in her seat in unease. Something did not seem right to her. “When did you last see Thranduil, Oropher?” she asked, ignoring her husband’s levity.

“He came to see me in my chambers last night then I believe he went to his own,” he answered matter-of-factly.

“What about Lúthien? Has anyone seen her since she left the throne room last night?” Melian looked between the two elves nervously, but neither answered.

The king smirked slightly. “You do not think they are together, do you?” He trailed off, getting a faraway look in his eyes as if picturing something. Almost immediately his eyes widened. “I never told Lúthien we gave her chambers to Thranduil. Did anyone else tell her?”

Melian looked from Oropher to Thingol in horror knowing she had neglected to mention it. “Did anyone tell Thranduil his chambers used to belong to Lúthien?” Both the king and his advisor shook their heads in unison. Melian cried out in anguish, “We need to find them before anything happens!” and jumped to her feet.

Oropher clapped a hand over his mouth then spoke softly, knowing Melian would be furious. “Something may have already happened.”

“What?!”

“Thranduil’s chamber door was locked last night. I could not hear anyone within, but it is not like him to lock his door, and I am almost positive he was inside.” The king’s counselor spoke rapidly as if getting the words out as fast as possible would get him into less trouble.

“Eru Ilúvatar*!” Melian shouted as she stormed out of the throne room. Thingol and Oropher looked at each other in worry and shock then followed after her.

Melian swooped through the caverns, quickly leaving the two elves behind her as she made her way to Lúthien’s old chambers. The door was still closed and locked as both Lúthien and Thranduil slept inside. The queen took a deep breath, gathered energy into her hands and placed them upon the door. She could sense two feär* within, and the anger that realization caused swung the door open, breaking the lock.

The two sleeping elves did not notice the intrusion as Melian glided in, gritting her teeth painfully. When she saw her daughter in Thranduil’s arms, the fury within her caused a rough wind to blow through the room, blowing her hair around her face. She assumed that they had already consummated their relationship, and when she spoke her words came out as a ferocious bark that could be heard reverberating down the hall.

“Thranduil Oropherion! How dare you take advantage of my daughter like this!”

Lúthien and Thranduil bolted upright and looked at the maia* in intense fear.

“Get away from her, you fiend!”

Thranduil jumped out of the bed, his towel falling to the ground in his haste. He stood there naked and blushing a furious shade of scarlet as he tried to cover his manhood with his hands. He did not dare to bend down to pick up the towel for fear that Melian would do something the second he moved.

Melian grimaced and covered her eyes with her hands. “Put on some clothes, for Eru’s sake!”

Thranduil ran to his closet and threw on the first pair of pants and tunic he could find while Lúthien watched her mother in anger. King Thingol and Oropher now peered in from the doorway, not wanting to come any closer or even to be seen. When Thranduil was dressed he stood and faced the queen, breathing heavily with fear.

“I am sorry, rîn nîn*,” he mumbled, bowing his head.

“Why? Why would you take my daughter into your bed? How dare you!” Melian briefly considered striking Thranduil, but resisted the temptation.

Lúthien could not stand to watch Thranduil be berated by her mother and spoke up. “He has done nothing wrong, Naneth*!”

“You call this,” Melian gestured to Thranduil, the bed and the closet indicating his former nakedness and the fact that they had been in bed together, “innocent?”

Lúthien stared at her mother with angry eyes. “He was wearing a towel in the bed. It fell off when he jumped out.” She pointed to the opposite side of the bed where the towel now lay in a heap.

“What was he doing naked in the first place, I wonder?” Melian mocked.

“I assure you your daughter remains pure,” Thranduil offered nervously.

Melian huffed in disbelief. Though she knew Thranduil had never lied previously she would not put it past him to do so in order to save his own skin.

“He tells you the truth!” Lúthien leapt out of bed, showing the fact that she was still fully clothed in her robes from the previous day.

“Then why were you in bed together?” Melian questioned.

“As no one bothered to tell me that my chambers had been given away, I walked in without realizing Thranduil was here. By the time we figured out that neither of us had any other bed to sleep in there was a knock on the door. We were nervous about being found like this and did not want people to assume things. So, we decided to stay here and fell asleep. That is all.” Lúthien left out the part about watching Thranduil orgasm, figuring her mother did not need to know that bit.

“Do you swear to me you are still chaste?”

“I swear it.” Thranduil and Lúthien spoke in unison, then looked at each other and smiled softly, both with slightly pink cheeks.

Their glances were not lost on Melian, who only became angrier even though she believed them to be telling the truth. “I will find new accommodation for Thranduil immediately…in Nargothrond, perhaps?”

“No! You cannot send him away!” Lúthien protested.

“I can, and I will.” 

At this Thingol and Oropher stepped inside the room. “We will not be sending Thranduil anywhere, Melian,” the king interrupted. “They have done nothing wrong.”

“It is not what has happened that I am worried about. You know that,” the queen replied.

Lúthien looked at her mother curiously. “What are you worried about? That I will wish to marry Thranduil? Why would this be a problem for you?”

“I refuse to discuss this at the present time. Let it be known that I do not encourage a relationship between the two of you. I would highly recommend you to stay as far away from each other as possible and to spend no time alone together. Do I make myself clear?”

“You do not own me,” Lúthien seethed. “I am a grown elleth* and can choose my own mate.”

Thranduil blushed and stared at the floor. Oropher and Thingol looked at each other as if their birthdays had come early.

“And you say you have chosen Thranduil?” Melian questioned, her eyes dark.

“I have not chosen anyone as of yet, but when I do it will be my choice alone with no other interference.”

“I would have to agree with our daughter,” Thingol added. “We should allow her to make her own decisions in this matter.”

Melian shot her husband a warning look, her eyebrows raised, which forced him to shut his mouth rapidly.

“I will not allow the two of you to wed, and I will not be swayed in this matter.” Melian turned and walked swiftly out the door, her cloak flying behind her like a cape.

Thingol walked over to his daughter and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I will speak with your mother. When it is time, I hope she will allow you to make this decision for yourself. As for me, do not tell her I said this, but I approve of your choice.” He made a brief nod in Thranduil’s direction, causing Thranduil once again to glow with embarrassment.

The king motioned to Oropher to leave their children alone and led him out of the room. Thranduil turned to Lúthien and looked at her nervously. She walked slowly toward him and held out her hand to clasp his.

“I am so sorry for what my mother just did. I am exceptionally embarrassed.”

“Do not be, brethil*. She has your best interests at heart and wishes for you to marry someone more suitable for you.” Thranduil let go of her hand, deeming it inappropriate to be touching at all, considering how the queen had forbidden a relationship between them.

“That is not her decision to make. When the time comes, I will decide who I want to be with.” The beautiful elleth looked up into Thranduil’s eyes with a shy smile, taking his hand once again.

“Does that mean you still wish to get to know me?” Thranduil asked, not breaking their gaze as he gripped her hand tighter.

Lúthien smiled and gently rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand. “Yes, it does.”

Thranduil brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed it. “Well then, would you care to have dinner with me this eve? I have guard duty the rest of the day and would welcome your company when I sup.”

“I would like that very much. I will have the kitchens send us a private meal here so we can talk without being watched and overheard.”

Thranduil nodded in agreement. “Then I will take your leave and see you this evening.” The golden-haired elf inclined his head and smiled at the princess, then ran his fingers through his hair as he departed the chambers.

Lúthien stood by the bed in silence for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She took a deep breath then gracefully made her way out of the caves to look for Daeron. Lúthien felt an overwhelming need to dance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lúthien dances while Daeron plays. Lúthien then has an intimate supper with Thranduil while Daeron meets another elleth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * brethil = princess  
> mellon nîn = my friend  
> maia = lesser diety, like an angel but not  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> hiril nîn = my lady

Lúthien made her way deeply into the forest, listening for any sign of Daeron or his flute. After about an hour she finally heard what she had been waiting for. Lúthien quickly followed the sound until she found Daeron playing under a tree. She called after him, “Daeron!”

The minstrel looked up and smiled. “Brethil*! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this morn?”

“I am in a very, very good mood today,” she could not help but grin as she spoke, “I feel a great need to dance. Will you play for me?”

“Of course I would! But first will you tell me what has you in such a joyous state?”

Lúthien blushed slightly, unsure if she should tell Daeron about Thranduil. She considered the minstrel to be one of her best friends, but he was still a male, and she did not know how appropriate it would be for her to speak to him about her feelings toward another. Daeron noticed her blush and raised his eyebrows questioningly. “Please?” He asked, encouraging her to speak.

Daeron wanted Lúthien to feel comfortable talking to him. He had loved her for hundreds of years and knew he would never win her heart unless they could speak openly. At least if he knew what made her so happy he might be able to replicate it.

The princess decided that she could open up to him and told the minstrel about what had happened between her, Thranduil and her mother, leaving out the bit about Thranduil in the bathtub. The more she spoke, however, the more forlorn Daeron’s expression became. His sweet princess was falling in love with another elf, and he could do nothing about it. He wanted to be happy for her, but doing so would mean devastation for himself.

Daeron absentmindedly turned his flute over in his hands, gazing at it. He wanted to stop Lúthien from speaking, as the words she uttered were driving a dagger into his heart. He attempted not to listen but did not want to seem inattentive. When Lúthien was finally finished with her story, Daeron looked at her seriously. “Perhaps it would be best if you and Thranduil did not see each other again? Maybe you should take your mother’s advice?”

Lúthien looked at Daeron with deep anger and hurt. “You take her side? You believe this should not be my choice?”

“No, not at all! You misunderstand me, mellon nîn*. Your mother is a maia*, and as such she has the gift of foresight more than any elf. Perhaps she knows something that you do not. Perhaps…you are meant to marry another?” Daeron bit his lip nervously.

“Perhaps,” Lúthien sneered. “But I do not wish to speak of this further. If you do not support my decision, then I will find some other way to dance.”

Daeron was deeply wounded by this suggestion and closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts and willing himself not to become emotional. “I support you in everything you do. Please, let me play for you so that you can dance."

Lúthien relaxed slightly and looked at Daeron. It was then she noticed how sad he looked. She wondered at this briefly before he put his flute to his lips. The tune he played was slightly mournful and not exactly what she was looking to dance to. The princess sighed slightly and walked toward the minstrel. “Daeron… I am sorry I hurt you. Could you please play something happier for me?”

The elf merely nodded his head and played a tune that did not at all mimic the way he felt inside. But, for the moment, it appeased the princess, and she began to dance merrily around the nearby trees.

The musical pair, however, did not realize that they were being watched by another set of eyes. A beautiful elleth* had been entranced by the music and gazed upon them in wonder. Her eyes were a blue-grey, and her long brown hair was enhanced with several braids with stray twigs and leaves stuck into them. Erulassë was an Avari who loved the forest, but she did not usually venture near the caves.

Erulassë stared not at Lúthien but rather at Daeron playing his flute. His music had brought her to the glade, and she could not help but watch him expertly blow his instrument. His dark hair and eyes made her feel dizzy. She longed to get a closer look, but she was nervous about being seen.

As Lúthien danced a winding path through the surrounding trees, Erulassë kept moving to avoid crashing into her while still being sure she was hidden from Daeron’s view. It was almost as if the two elleth were dancing separately yet together.

The music and dancing went on like this for several hours until Lúthien realized it was beginning to get dark. She knew she had to make it back to the caves in time to have dinner with Thranduil and turned to Daeron with an abruptness that nearly caused him to drop his flute. “I need to get back. The hour is growing late.”

The minstrel nodded to her. “Yes…of course. You are to have dinner with...him.”

Lúthien nodded to him with a bright smile. “Thank you for playing for me. I am sure there will be many more days like this in the coming months.”

Daeron gritted his teeth so as not to say anything he would regret and merely nodded his head at her. He sat silently for a moment under the tree and closed his eyes in thought.

Erulassë watched him curiously and nervously moved into the light so that if he opened his eyes he would see her directly. She looked down at her feet and stepped carefully to snap a twig on purpose. Immediately Daeron glanced upward and spotted the pretty elleth. He could not help but smile at her as a faint blush colored her cheeks.

“Can I help you with something, hiril nîn*?” Daeron asked her.

“No…I…I just heard you playing and could not help but listen. I am sorry to have interrupted you as I could listen to you play all eve.” Erulassë’s face brightened as she smiled at him.

“That is very kind of you. If you would like to listen, I will play.” Daeron was flattered by her compliment and was unused to having the attention of such a beautiful elleth.

“I know I am not nearly as graceful as the one who just departed, but I can also dance.”

Daeron realized that Erulassë had been watching for some time and bit his lip. “I am sure you dance perfectly well…errr…what is your name?”

“It is Erulassë. And yours?”

“Daeron the Minstrel, at your service.” He stood up and bowed to the elleth, then took her hand and kissed it as a gentleman.

Erulassë fought the urge to faint and turned a bright shade of red. Daeron noticed her reaction and grinned, pleased with the effect he was having on her. He sat back down by the tree and began to play a lively tune, now in a much better mood. Erulassë took his cue and began dancing in circles around him. She twirled and giggled gleefully as he piped.

The two elves danced and played well into the night until, exhausted, they fell asleep together sitting by Daeron’s tree. Erulassë’s head rested gently on Daeron’s shoulder, and his arm draped around her back as they slept.

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Lúthien rushed into Menegroth and made her way to Thranduil’s chambers. The door was slightly ajar, so she wasted no time in pushing it open. Thranduil was standing by a table set for two alight with candles and flowers. Lúthien gasped at the gorgeous sight and carefully shut the door behind her.

“Did you do this?” she asked curiously.

Thranduil nodded, his cheeks flushing pink. “Yes. I wanted tonight to be perfect. I hope you do not mind.”

“I do not mind at all,” Lúthien answered as she sat by her place. “What are we having for dinner?”

“I believe the kitchens sent us roasted vegetables and stew.”

“Well, it smells delicious. Will you join me?” Lúthien motioned toward the chair set opposite her.

Thranduil smiled shyly and sat down facing the princess. “You look beautiful this evening, though a bit flushed. Did you rush here?”

“I was dancing,” Lúthien glanced over at Thranduil then took a spoonful of stew and blew on it gently to cool it.

“I am very sorry I missed that. Perhaps another time you will dance for me?”

“Of course.” Lúthien nodded and placed the spoonful of stew in her mouth.

Thranduil watched her carefully then began to eat. They sat in a nervous silence for a bit as they enjoyed their dinner. Every so often one would gaze up at the other. Each time this happened the other one would catch the glance and both would turn away, blushing. The stillness was broken every so often by the clinking of utensils on plates and bowls.

When both had finished their meal, Thranduil looked over at Lúthien. “We never actually figured out where we were going to sleep tonight, did we?”

The princess shook her head. “No…that we did not.”

“At least we do not need to fear being found,” the handsome elf chuckled, “I do not believe your mother could possibly become any angrier than she was this morning.”

“I do not wish to speak of that, Thranduil. I only want to talk of happy things today…because you have made me happy.”

Thranduil looked at her in joyful surprise. “Really? What did I do?”

“You prepared this for me. You respect me. Other elves would have taken advantage of me last night, possibly even forced me to do something inappropriate. You slept next to me wearing nothing at all and never once made me feel uncomfortable. You are unique and very special.”

Thranduil could not answer for a moment, then mumbled a thank you and wiped his mouth with his napkin for something to do. Lúthien giggled, realizing how flustered she made him. She reached her hand across the table to take his, and Thranduil reciprocated. When their hands met the warmth nearly created sparks between them and both turned their gaze to their entwined hands.

“Lúthien...I know your mother does not approve of us being together, though I do not know her reasoning behind it. But I would do anything for the chance to court a lady as kind, gentle and beautiful as you.”

Lúthien gasped, her mouth wide in surprise at Thranduil’s openness and honesty. She valued this and answered accordingly. “I will gladly give you this chance. You have shown me that you would be a worthy mate, and I do not care what my mother thinks.”

Thranduil stood, quickly made his way over to Lúthien’s side of the table and pulled her upright into a tight hug. He nuzzled her neck, smelling the floral scent in her hair. “Oh Lúthien…you do not know how happy that makes me.”

The princess was surprised but happily hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his torso. She was only slightly uncomfortable by their close proximity, because she longed to do more than just hold him. As she looked upward her gaze drifted to his lips, and she desperately wished to know how they felt on her own. Lúthien gently bit her lower lip, trying to contain her feelings.

Thranduil brought his hand up to Lúthien’s cheek and gently stroked it with a finger. Lúthien shivered noticeably at his touch, which made him stop. “Are you cold?” he asked.

“No. I am quite warm, actually.” Lúthien smiled and took off her outer robe, leaving her dressed only in a tunic.

The handsome elf swallowed hard as he could now see the princess’s shapely body outlined in her clothes. “Perhaps I should sleep elsewhere tonight. I…I do not know how well I would be able to restrain myself two nights in a row.”

“I told you yesterday, and I will tell you again. I trust you. I know you would never do anything to hurt me.”

Thranduil gently kissed her cheek, then bent toward her ear and whispered, “We will not speak of our relationship to your mother or to anyone else, is that agreed?”

Lúthien nodded. “Yes, I believe that is wise, at least for now.” The princess took the young elf’s hand and led him toward the bed. Thranduil cocked an eyebrow at her, and she shook her head as if to tell him there would be no arguing about it. Thranduil responded with a smile and climbed into the bed, this time fully dressed.

The princess followed him into the bed and immediately moved into his arms. Thranduil wrapped himself around her and smiled. “May I give my princess a kiss goodnight?”

Lúthien looked at him questioningly, wondering if they could really stop at just a kiss. “Do you think that is wise?”

“You said you trusted me.”

Lúthien’s face burst out into a broad grin. “Then kiss me and prove that I can trust you.”

Thranduil cupped the princess’s face with one hand then brought his lips to hers. He only dared to kiss her softly, because he did not trust himself to go any further than that without it leading to inappropriate intimacy. The princess kissed back, smiling. She enjoyed the taste of his lips and it made her heartbeat quicken.

The two elves lay down together, rested their heads on one shared pillow and closed their eyes. Their lips remained touching even as they fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lúthien has a dream that causes her to make an important decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * Eglador = Doriathrin name for Doriath  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> amin mela lle = I love you  
> meleth nîn = my love

As Lúthien slept her mind wandered into floating dreams. Her thoughts wove in and out of reality: first with pictures of Daeron and his flute, then the trees on the edges of Eglador*, and finally settling on a view of Thranduil.

In her mind’s eye she could see him watching her carefully, as if she were fragile and could be easily broken. She wondered at this, as surely Thranduil knew how strong and independent she was. She moved fluidly toward her friend, yet she knew he was more than just a friend here. He was…her lover…her mate.

Lúthien wondered at this for a brief moment then watched as Thranduil extended his hand toward her, not reaching for her hand or even her face, but rather to touch her stomach. She eyed him nervously then looked down to see her abdomen swollen with child.

The princess woke with a start, gasping for air as she sat up suddenly. Her mind was reeling with the picture of her pregnancy fresh in her mind. She knew for certain she was not pregnant currently, as she had never been intimate with anyone let alone the elf sleeping next to her. But had she just been granted a glimpse of foresight? Or was it more wishful thinking that her mother would eventually allow her to wed Thranduil?

Lúthien sat in thought for several minutes. She weighed the dream in her mind, remembering the tiny details and feelings she had. She was confident that Thranduil was not her husband in the dream, yet she knew she carried his child. Was it possible she had become pregnant out of wedlock? The princess shook her head to dismiss this thought, but it continued to bother her. It was rare for elves to become pregnant without a proper binding, but it was possible.

The elleth* stretched and looked over at the sleeping elf. His hair draped effortlessly around his face made him look so handsome. She reached over and moved a strand of his golden locks, gently touching his cheek as she did so. Thranduil stirred in his sleep but did not wake.

The princess watched him thoughtfully and closed her eyes, trying desperately to see her dream again, this time in a more awake state. As she relaxed and concentrated she was once again able to see her pregnant self with Thranduil standing in front of her. His smile lit up the room, and she could see how extraordinarily happy he was to see her carrying his child. Lúthien opened her eyes and looked again at Thranduil’s sleeping form.

Lúthien bent over and kissed the sensitive tip of Thranduil’s ear. He gasped lightly in his sleep, but his eyes remained closed. The princess smiled and gently licked the outer cusp of his ear from lobe to tip. Thranduil left out a soft moan and twitched, but he was lost in his own dreams which were now rapidly turning sexual in nature.

A smile played across Lúthien’s lips as she enjoyed Thranduil’s subconscious reaction to her touches. She had decided that she wanted no other elf and if her mother would not allow a marriage then she would find another way…any other way…to be with him. If that meant she had to seduce him here and now, then that was what she was going to do.

Lúthien delicately removed the covers from Thranduil’s chest and slowly untied his tunic. She knew she could not slip it off his shoulders without waking him up, so that would have to wait, but at least she could now see his bare chest.  
The elleth gently ran her fingers over Thranduil’s now exposed skin. She circled one of his nipples with her forefinger then teased it into a small peak. The handsome elf made a small grunting sound at this, and he mumbled something incoherently. This encouraged Lúthien, so she did the same with his other nipple. When nothing happened she bent down and licked it, causing Thranduil to gasp loudly and open his eyes in alarm.

“Lúthien! What in the name of wonder are you doing?”

The princess bit her lip and looked up at him. “You looked…tasty?” It was the first thing that came into her mind, and it sounded horrible just after she said it.

Thranduil attempted to cover himself with his tunic and looked at her incredulously, his eyebrows raised impossibly high. “I was not half naked when I went to sleep. Why did you start to undress me?”

“I had a dream. I…I want to know what it is like to lie with you.”

Thranduil could not speak for a moment. His mind reeled with this information and it took time to process. “But…I promised you I would not touch you. You trust me, and…how could I break that trust?”

“You are breaking nothing. I am asking you for it.”

The handsome elf stared at the princess and cocked his head to one side. “Are you absolutely sure this is what you want? Because I will tell you right now that I greatly desire you. Not only to make sweet love to you but also to call you my wife. I know I cannot do the latter without your mother’s permission, but I would gladly take you in my arms…if that is what you wish. I will do nothing without your consent.”

Lúthien brought her lips up to Thranduil’s and kissed him firmly on the mouth. “I do consent.”

Thranduil let out a soft moan not only from the kiss but also from the thought that he was being given permission to bed the princess. He pulled away slightly and looked directly into her eyes. “If at any point you feel uncomfortable and wish for me to stop, tell me and I will. I promise to be gentle with you.” The young elf brought a hand up to the princess’s face and gently caressed it with his thumb.

“I am yours, Thranduil. Do as you wish with me.”

The elf shook his head with a soft smile. “That is not how this works…at least not with me. I have never been with a maiden before, and I do not want for this to be one-sided. We will make love together or not at all.”

Lúthien bit her lip to force back tears. “I have made the right choice.”

The princess took hold of Thranduil’s tunic and moved it off his shoulders with a watery smile. The blond-haired elf looked up at her and cupped her face in his hands, pulling her toward him. “Amin mela lle*, Lúthien,” he murmured before kissing her deeply, their lips melding in the coupled heat.

Lúthien smiled and deepened their kiss as she moved her body closer to his, aching to feel more of him against her. She drew her hands across Thranduil’s chest and down to his navel while they kissed, bringing more passion to it with every passing second. Before long Thranduil parted her lips with his tongue and searched out her own. Their tongues tangled eagerly together, and their arms and legs quickly became entwined.

Thranduil broke the kiss for a moment and reached in between their bodies to untie Lúthien’s tunic. The princess let go of him and smiled, giving him permission to undress her. She shivered each time the elf’s fingers touched her skin so that by the time he had rid her of her dress she had nearly melted into a puddle on the bed.

The handsome elf took slight advantage of her weakened state and thumbed over one of her nipples, just as she had done to him earlier. Unlike Thranduil, however, Lúthien’s eyes widened, and she cried out as he worked at them. Her body became hot with need so that once she was able to regain her strength she immediately worked at removing Thranduil’s pants.

Thranduil could not help but grin at her fervent actions, though he was slightly nervous. While she had seen him naked the previous night and even watched as he climaxed, she had not touched him. He worried that he might not be able to control himself once she got her hands onto his shaft, and he backed away slightly.

Lúthien looked up at him in concern. “Are you having second thoughts?” she questioned, hoping he was not.

“No! Of course not!” Thranduil reassured her. “I…I am afraid I may not be pleasing to you.”

Lúthien wiggled Thranduil’s pants off entirely, releasing his arousal from its confinement. “You are very pleasing to me.”

“That is not what I meant. What if I…I peak too soon.” Thranduil blushed slightly and looked down.

“Then I will make you do it more than once,” Lúthien answered simply as she took his length into her hands.

Thranduil’s hips bucked involuntarily at the feel of her soft hands on his shaft, and he let out a low moan. “No…as I…said…together or…or not…at all…please…”

Lúthien nodded, amazed at her lover’s selflessness. She had offered to let him climax more than once, but he would not do it without her. This elf was most assuredly one-of-a-kind. 

The princess wiggled out of her own pants and then lay down next to him. She had been feeling an ache between her legs that she had never experience before, and she was desperate to have him touch her there. She was not yet ready to have him inside her, and she knew this would help.

“Thranduil? Will…will you touch me first? Before we…make love? Not to climax…just to…prepare myself?” Lúthien asked him, stuttering with nervousness.

Without answering her, Thranduil brought one of his hands to her and parted her legs. The princess’s hips moved on their own accord toward Thranduil’s fingers, and he rested them over her sensitive nub. Lúthien let out a soft moan as Thranduil began to rub her in small circles. She was amazed at the pleasure he could create with such a gentle motion and gripped the sheets tightly in her fists.

Thranduil watched the princess’s reactions carefully as he touched her. He could feel her moisture wetting his fingers, but he wanted to be sure she was ready before he entered her. As Lúthien’s moans increased in frequency and pitch Thranduil’s arousal grew harder and began to throb painfully. He needed relief desperately.

“Lúthien…” Thranduil pleaded.

The princess could hear the desire and need in Thranduil’s voice, and it only served to make her want him more. “Yes…please…” was all she could respond with. Her breaths were already coming in short pants, and she could not wait any longer.

Thranduil climbed on top of Lúthien and hovered there. He bent down and kissed her gently, smiling nervously, then opened her legs and rested his shaft against her nub. He thrusted onto it several times, picking up her juices and making her gasp in pleasure.

Lúthien moved her hips to rub against Thranduil’s hardened member while looking him straight in the eyes. She nodded slightly, giving him permission to enter her, and he nodded back. Thranduil gently eased himself partway into Lúthien’s waiting body, but when he felt her body tense under him he stopped. “Are you all right? Does it hurt? I…I do not wish to hurt you.”

“It…it is a good hurt…please do not stop,” Lúthien encouraged him and tried to relax her body. In truth it did hurt quite a bit, but she had expected this as she had never lain with another elf before. She assured herself that the pleasure would come and moved her hand to begin rubbing her nub again.

Thranduil noticed this and shook his head with a smile. “That is my job, meleth nîn*,” he quipped before removing her hand and replacing it with his own. Lúthien arched her back at the feel of him rubbing her once again, now able to ignore the pain as he thrusted.

The two elves joined together, pumping their hips with increasing speed and force. Their groans mingled in the air, getting louder by the second. Lúthien reached up and tangled her fingers in Thranduil’s hair then brought his face to hers to kiss him deeply, knowing her peak was dangerously near.

“Not…much…longer…” she breathed into his ear and tentatively squeezed her inner muscles against her lover.

“Oh, Eru… Lúthien!” Thranduil cried out in ecstasy as he felt his length gripped intensely as he moved. The elf covered her mouth with his and moved his fingers as fast as he could, trying to make sure his lady climaxed before he did.

“Yes….yes…” Lúthien arched her back and moaned with each of Thranduil’s thrusts then screamed his name as her climax took over her body. She writhed with the overwhelming waves of pleasure that coursed through her.

When Lúthien called out his name, Thranduil could not hold it any longer and released his seed into her forcefully. He continued to pound against her for several seconds until his climax had finished and he was sure hers had as well. Then he collapsed on top of her, nibbling gently at her neck.

Lúthien could not move. Her fingers were still digging into Thranduil’s back, and she was sure she had left scratches there by accident. She took time to catch her breath as Thranduil continued to kiss her collarbone. “Thank you,” she was finally able to squeak out.

“You are most welcome…but I should be thanking you,” Thranduil smiled and moved to lie next to her.

Lúthien blushed and held him close. “You are welcome. That was incredible. I feel so lucky.”

Thranduil closed his arms around the princess. “We both are lucky,” he whispered as his eyelids began to droop with sleep. “Now maybe we should rest until morning?”

The princess nodded sleepily. “Yes. That was most tiring, but worth it.” She grinned and closed her eyes. The handsome elf smiled, his breathing already steady and heading toward sleep. 

The two elves snuggled tightly together as they soared once again into their dreams, only this time Lúthien knew what she was seeing was no fantasy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lúthien feels ill but refuses to see a healer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * elleth = female elf/elves  
> brethil = princess  
> hiril nîn = my lady  
> aran nîn = my king  
> meleth nîn = my love

As soon as the sun rose Lúthien awoke and climbed out of bed. Thranduil had already left for his guard post at the throne room, so Lúthien was free to do as she pleased for the rest of the day. She dressed quickly, anxious to depart the dank caves and find Daeron. The princess felt as though she owed him an apology for her abrupt departure the previous eve and did not want there to be any poor feelings between them.

Lúthien ran gracefully through the forest, hoping to find Daeron in his usual glade. Her footsteps were light, but there was someone who heard her. 

Erulassë had also arisen with the sun and stood watching Daeron sleep. As soon as she sensed Lúthien heading toward them, however, she departed, not wanting to be seen. She hated leaving Daeron like that, but she was not yet ready for anyone else to know of her presence. She decided that she would return later and hoped her new friend would still be there.

When Lúthien arrived in the glade she giggled at the sight of Daeron under the tree. She kneeled down beside the elf and whispered into his ear, “Wake up, sleepy one.”

Daeron woke with a start and clutched at his chest. “Lúthien! You scared me to Mandos and back!”

Lúthien continued to laugh and could not stop. “I am sorry. I just could not help myself.” She plopped herself next to Daeron and rested against the tree.

It was then that Daeron realized that Erulassë was missing. He curiously looked at Lúthien, who was now sitting in the place where he had last seen the other elleth*, which caused Lúthien to feel uneasy. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

“I…there was someone here. At least…I thought there was.”

“What do you mean? I saw no one when I approached.”

“She was here yesterday evening after you left. Did you see anyone on your way back to Menegroth last night?”

Lúthien shook her head as she answered, “No, I did not.”

Daeron looked away and stared into the distance, muttering to himself, “That is so strange. I did not think I imagined her. Perhaps she was a figment of my imagination. How sad.” He sighed deeply, a frown creasing his forehead.

“If you are imagining things, perhaps you need to see a healer,” the princess suggested.

“No. I believe maybe I was just overtired.” Daeron was clearly upset by the thought that he had imagined playing music for a beautiful elleth other than Lúthien and stood up. “I am sorry, but I no longer feel like playing at just this moment. I need to…to figure this out.”

Lúthien was disturbed by Daeron’s change of mood and flustered nature. He did not usually act in this way, and she had never seen him not in the mood to play music, even when he was depressed. But if he was hallucinating, she wanted him to see a healer. She looked over at him and nodded, hoping that he would find what he was seeking.

Daeron gazed intently at the forest floor to look for any clues as to where Erulassë might have gone, but her light feet made no noticeable footprints. He was determined to find her and began his search deep into the woods.

Lúthien was not pleased that she had no music to dance to, but she would not let that stop her. Even though she missed the sound of Daeron’s flute, she could hear it in her mind. The princess began her usual routine, gliding in and out of the trees and twirling in circles, but she soon had to stop as she felt the forest whirling around her. She held nervously onto the trees, trying to will away the dizzy feeling in her head. The princess was now slightly concerned about herself as she had never become lightheaded from dancing before. Perhaps it was because she had neglected to eat breakfast before leaving?

The beautiful elleth* took a short rest and sat in Daeron’s spot by his tree and watched as several leaves fell to the ground. After a few minutes of this, however, she needed to close her eyes as the motion of the leaves was also making her feel woozy and a bit sick. She put a hand over her mouth and took several deep breaths to will away the unusual feeling of nausea that coursed through her.

Mablung, one of King Thingol’s main guards, was walking through the forest on patrol when he saw Lúthien shakily sit by the tree and then cover her mouth. He could sense something was wrong and rushed over to her. “Brethil*? Is something the matter?” he asked in a worried tone.

Lúthien looked up at him in alarm, not realizing anyone had been watching. “Oh, Mablung! It is you,” she forced herself to smile. “No, I am perfectly well. Why would you think anything was the matter?”

“Well, it appeared to me that you sat down after becoming dizzy. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“I am just fine. There is nothing to worry about,” the princess tried to assure the guard, though she was also trying to convince herself at the same time.

“Perhaps I should take you to see the healers just to be safe.”

“That is not necessary, but thank you for the offer.”

“I really must insist, hiril nîn*.”

Lúthien sighed, “Mablung, I know you wish only to help me, but I am fine.” The guard’s request to accompany her back to the caves worried her slightly, as she was still feeling a bit off, and she did not want to worry him more by fainting on the way.

Mablung considered arguing with her further, but he knew how stubborn she could be and decided he would report back to the king and have him take care of it. At the very least he had tried his best to do his job, and King Thingol would appreciate that.

“As you wish,” the guard bowed to the princess and turned to make his way back to Menegroth.

Lúthien was momentarily pleased that he had left then realized that he would most assuredly go straight to her father for help. She muttered grumpily under her breath and attempted to stand once she could no longer see Mablung in the distance.

She was feeling slightly less lightheaded now and slowly began to walk toward the caves. Lúthien knew that Mablung would get there much faster at the rate she was going, but she had to at least try and appear to be well.

Thranduil was standing by the throne room doors when Mablung walked up. He was immediately granted permission to enter and stepped forward to bow to the king. King Thingol motioned for him to rise and speak his report.

“It is your daughter, aran nîn*,” Mablung began. As soon as the words left his mouth, Thranduil’s ears perked up, and he looked into the throne room eagerly.

“What about my daughter?” the king asked, his words heavy with apprehension.

“I saw her in the forest just now, and she appeared to be ill. She refused to come with me to see a healer, but I believed you should be informed.”

“Ill? What do you mean ill?”

Thranduil did not wait to hear the rest of the report. He looked at the other door guard with intense fear then bolted for the forest. He ran so quickly that none could catch him, and no one would have dared stand in his way. His blond hair floated behind him, almost giving him the appearance of wearing a golden cape.

Lúthien saw Thranduil running toward her and smiled. She trusted him and knew he could get her into the caves without being seen. The princess called after her lover, “Thranduil! I am over here!” before sinking down beside a tree.

Thranduil heaved a sigh of relief and bent down to her. “What is the matter? You look peaky.”

“I feel peaky,” the princess bit her lip nervously.

“Then you should be seen by a healer immediately.”

“Not you, too! I will be fine…really. I accidentally skipped breakfast; that is all. If you can get me back to our chambers so I can eat something, I would appreciate it. I do not wish to worry my father.”

“You know perfectly well it is too late for that. Mablung has already reported to him of your being ill.”

Lúthien rolled her eyes even though she knew it was exactly what Mablung would do. “Well, hopefully I can convince him that nothing is the matter with me. I just need to eat something first so I do not faint in front of him.”  
“You feel faint?” Thranduil questioned her nervously. “That is serious! Please…I beg of you…just allow a healer to look you over to make sure you are well.”

“I already said no, and I will not change my mind. No healers, at least not today. I only wish to have something to eat.”

Thranduil decided not to continue arguing with her at this moment. He could always ask a healer’s advice without her knowing once he had her back in their chambers. “All right. Can you walk?”

Lúthien shook her head sadly. “I can walk very slowly. It would be much faster if you carried me.”

Without another word, Thranduil stood and picked the princess up into his arms. She smiled at him and wrapped an arm around his neck as he began to run for the caves. He knew of a back entrance that was rarely used and brought her in this way so that there was less of a chance of them being seen. When they arrived back in their room he placed her gently on the bed and stood next to her. “I will bring you some food. Please do not go anywhere.”

The princess smiled at him. “I promise.”

Thranduil rushed out of the room and to the kitchens. He had them prepare her a full breakfast which he then brought back to her as quickly as possible. Lúthien was sitting up in bed when he arrived carrying the tray.

“Thank you. I am sorry I worried you, but I am sure nothing is wrong. I am just hungry.”

The handsome elf nodded and placed the tray in the princess’s lap. “Of course, meleth nîn*.” Thranduil smiled even though he did not believe her then sat next to her on the bed.

Lúthien took a few bites of the breakfast and then stopped, her stomach not allowing her to eat more. She sighed lightly and pushed away the tray. Thranduil looked at her curiously. “Is it not good?” he asked with furrowed brow.

“No…it is delicious. I am just not hungry,” Lúthien answered with a sigh.

Thranduil stood suddenly and looked at her. “Lúthien…you are obviously ill. I am going to get a healer, and that is final.”

“You will not get a healer,” Lúthien demanded insistently, “I am sure it is nothing, and I will be fine tomorrow. I probably picked up a little illness; that is all.”

Thranduil shook his head and stared at his mate, gritting his teeth. “Why do you not wish to be seen by a healer? This could be serious!”

“I am telling you it is not. If you bring a healer I will not let you in, and if you plan to continue arguing with me you can get out.” Lúthien pointed to the door emphatically, not wishing to deal with this when she was feeling like vomiting.

Thranduil looked at her, his eyes sorrowful. He knew he had to return to his guard post and turned to leave. “If that is what you wish, then I will go. I will be back later to check on you.” He left without waiting for Lúthien to answer him.

The princess watched his retreating figure and sighed heavily. She was nervous about feeling ill, but she also knew she did not want to see a healer. Perhaps if she still felt sick tomorrow she would let someone look at her, but right now all she wanted to do was rest and not vomit all over the bed.

Lúthien attempted to stand up in order to bring her breakfast tray over to the table in the room, but she still felt unsteady on her feet. She stopped at the side of the bed and waited for the room to stop spinning then carefully carried the tray to the table. She did not want to be disturbed, even by Thranduil, so she took the time to lock the chamber door before going back to the bed. But as she walked back the room began to darken, and all went black. Lúthien crumpled to the floor with no way for anyone to find her.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil speaks with the healer-in-charge then enlists Daeron's help to assist the ailing princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * meleth nîn = my love  
> feä = spirit (in this case a fetal spirit)  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> brethil = princess

The minute that Thranduil was finished with guard duty he raced back to his chambers to check on Lúthien. He was surprised to find the door closed, as he knew he had left it open when he departed earlier, and he was even more shocked that it was now locked. He supposed that Lúthien had wanted some rest and privacy, so he did not blame her, but it had been hours since then, and if she were still sleeping even now then he assumed she must be quite ill. He made up his mind to go speak with a healer about her condition, and then he would attempt to wake the princess.

Thranduil entered the healing chambers and sought out the healer-in-charge, an elf by the name of Agarion. The elf gave him a look of curiosity as he entered, as Thranduil only rarely came to the healing chambers even when he was injured. “Thranduil? To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” he asked cordially.

“I come on a serious and urgent matter. The princess is quite ill, and she refuses to see a healer. I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice on what may be wrong with her and how I can help.”

The healer nodded, his expression now serious. “Of course. I will assist in any way I can. What are her symptoms? Was she injured recently?”

Thranduil shook his head. “Not to my knowledge. Here is what I do know. The princess grew dizzy earlier in the day to the point where she was having difficulty walking. She thought that perhaps she was hungry, as she had neglected to eat breakfast. But when I finally brought her something to eat, she took a few bites and then would not eat any more. She said she was no longer hungry. I think she may have been nauseated, though she did not say it outright.”

Agarion furrowed his brow as he looked at Thranduil, his concern for the princess growing. There was one obvious explanation for her symptoms, but he did not know if it was a plausible one. He needed to find out more, but he did not know if it was appropriate for him to ask or if Thranduil would even know the answers. 

The healer sighed and turned to his friend, “I have an idea of what may be wrong with the princess, but I cannot be absolutely certain unless I see her for myself.”

Thranduil gave Agarion a worried look. “It is serious, then? She could die?”

“I do not believe her to be in mortal danger. She is still elf-kind.” Agarion could not help but smile slightly, realizing that Thranduil’s feelings for Lúthien were not only professional in nature.

Releasing a breath he did not know he was holding, Thranduil sighed, “Good. I am sorry I lost myself for a moment. I am just very worried.”

“I can see that. I cannot prescribe herbs for her properly without being sure of what is ailing her. I can come to examine her in her chambers if she will not come here.”

“I will go and ask her. Thank you for your help.” Thranduil walked toward then door then once again faced the healer before he exited. “Can you tell me what it could be?”

The healer answered plainly, not knowing how much information Thranduil should be given. “I do not wish to speculate until I know for certain.”

Thranduil nodded then left the healing chambers. The healer watched as Thranduil walked out then sunk down into a chair. He suspected that Lúthien was pregnant, but he knew she had not been bound to anyone. Noting Thranduil’s concern for the princess led him to the assumption that if she was pregnant it must be his child. Agarion shook his head and debated whether or not to mention anything to the king. He quickly decided that he would wait until he was positive of her diagnosis, because it would be serious for him to mistake something of this nature, especially considering Lúthien was supposed to still be a maiden.

Meanwhile, Thranduil made his way back to his own rooms, hoping Lúthien had now unlocked the door. He tentatively tried the handle and was anguished to find it still immovable. Now worried, he began knocking on the door. “Lúthien? Lúthien! Are you still in there?”

No answer came from the chamber within, so he yelled louder. “Please! Please, Lúthien! Open the door!” The elf became more and more distressed with each passing second. He paced the floor outside the room, trying to think of another way in. 

Thranduil eventually remembered that there was a window in his chambers that faced the main atrium inside the halls, but he would have to climb up the walls to reach it, and there were no guarantees he would be able to open it from the outside. Thranduil knew he had to try, though, because the only other option was getting the queen to blast open the door in her fury, and he wished to avoid that.

The young elf ran to the atrium and looked to see which window was his. There were so many, but he tried to picture the view out the window and made the best guess he could. He searched for footholds on the smooth cave walls then began his slow ascent.

The cave was slightly damp and slippery to touch, which made climbing even more difficult, but Thranduil pressed on. There were several times he nearly slipped and fell, but he remained lucky and kept his foothold. Eventually he made it to the window and peered inside to make sure it was his own. The curtains made it almost impossible to see, but one glance through an open sliver showed him enough to know he was in the correct place.

Thranduil now attempted to jimmy open the window from the outside. He grabbed his knife from its holster and tried to wedge it between the glass and the cave wall. Windows in the caves were not meant to open, just to provide a view to the outside, and in some rooms there was no glass at all. But with this originally being the princess’s chambers, she was afforded a certain amount of privacy which required glass on her window. At the moment Thranduil was cursing that privacy.

After several minutes of working at the space between the glass and the rock he was finally able to pop the glass from the window. He used his muscular legs to hold him as he eased the glass into the room rather than let it crash to the ground inside the atrium. Thranduil did not wish to cause any more of a scene than he already was. Elves passing through were staring up at him, wondering if he had lost his mind completely.

The nimble elf climbed in through the window, and the sight that he beheld caused his heart to leap into his toes. The princess was lying unconscious on the floor, and he had no idea how long she had been there. He was afraid she might even be dead.

Thranduil rushed over to her side and grabbed her hand. It was still warm, which told him that she yet lived, but she did not stir to his touch. He used one hand to gently stroke her forehead and spoke lovingly to her, hoping that she would wake. “Lúthien…meleth nîn*…please wake up. I am here. I never should have left in the first place. I am so sorry.”

The elf brushed tears away from his eyes, not knowing what to do. He gently picked up the flaccid figure and laid her out onto the bed then sat down beside her. He continued to rub his finger against her face, hoping she would answer him. “I know you are alive. I just need to you wake up for me. I promised you not to fetch a healer without your consent, but I do not know what to do now. Please… Lúthien…”

Thranduil sighed and considered his options. He knew he did not want to alarm her parents, so that was not his first choice for assistance. He thought about heading back to the healer, but he had made a promise to her and did not want to betray her trust. Thranduil closed his eyes and decided that Lúthien’s health meant more, regardless of how angry she would be with him later.

The handsome elf stood and walked to his door. He unlocked it then stepped out and began to walk toward the healing chambers. He had no other alternative but to fetch Agarion and bring him to examine the princess.

Thranduil was not paying attention and nearly ran headlong into Daeron upon turning the last corner near the healing chambers. The two elves looked at each other in shock when suddenly Thranduil was struck with an idea. Perhaps Lúthien would wake to the sound of Daeron’s music. The elf could not help but smile while the minstrel looked back with some confusion.

“Daeron…I need your help. Do you have your flute on you?”

“When do I not have my flute?” Daeron asked somewhat sarcastically.

Thranduil let out a small chuckle in spite of his poor mood. “Please, come with me. The princess is ill, and I am hoping your music can help her.” Daeron gave the elf a serious look and immediately followed him to where the princess lay without another word.

When the two elves arrived back in the chamber, Thranduil closed the door behind them so they would have a bit of privacy. Daeron saw the princess passed out on the bed and looked extremely worried at her. “What is going on, Thranduil? What has happened?”

“I have no idea, to be honest. She will not wake, though she is alive. Please…try your best.”

“Why do you not fetch Agarion? Surely she needs something stronger than music.” Daeron pulled out his flute and turned it over in his hands nervously.

“Before Lúthien became unconscious she objected to being seen by any healers. I was actually headed toward the healing chambers when I ran into you. I would like to try this one last idea before betraying her trust. Please…” Thranduil pleaded.

The minstrel nodded and put the flute to his lips. He played a tune that he knew was one of Lúthien’s favorites. She could never resist dancing to this particular melody, and he hoped that it would at least help her to wake.

Inside Lúthien’s mind her subconscious could hear the music and very slowly began to urge her toward consciousness. First her hand stirred, brushing it against Thranduil’s. The young elf looked at her in shock and grasped her hand. “That’s it…wake up…I am here,” he begged.

Lúthien recognized her lover’s voice coupled with the music and began to mumble, “Thranduil? Daeron?”

“Shhh…do not speak. Do not tire yourself. Just open your eyes so I can see them,” Thranduil urged her.

Very slowly Lúthien’s eyes drifted open, locking on Thranduil’s. He could not help but smile widely seeing her wake and bent over to gently kiss her. Daeron noticed this and stopped playing in shock and despair. He stowed his flute in his pocket and turned to leave.

Lúthien looked at her friend and spoke weakly. “Daeron…wait. Please keep playing for me.”

Daeron could not refuse a direct request from the princess and sat back in his chair to continue playing. Thranduil watched him for a moment then turned back to Lúthien. “You need to see a healer. How long were you passed out for?”

The princess frowned at him and did not answer for a moment. She took a deep breath then looked away. “Since you left for guard duty. How long ago was that?”

Thranduil’s eyes widened in horror. “That was neigh on nine hours ago! Lúthien, this is serious!”

Lúthien shook her head. “You know I do not wish to see a healer. Surely you can do something to help the dizziness.”

“I am a guardsman, not a healer. I only know the basics for when elves are injured in battle. It is only enough to keep one alive to allow time for a real healer to assist.”

Daeron once again stopped playing and walked over to the bed. “I know some healing. Perhaps I can help you?”

Lúthien looked curiously at her friend. He was someone she had been able to trust for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. She had a small inkling of what might be wrong with her, and she hoped that his skills would be enough to help her dizziness abate but not enough that he would be able to tell what was causing it. She nodded and motioned for the minstrel to come closer.

“I have been dizzy, and apparently I have been unconscious all day as well. Before I passed out I had barely eaten. I neglected breakfast and was a bit nauseated when I did attempt to eat. Can you help?”

The minstrel assured the princess, “Yes, I should be able to assist with that. Do you mind if I put my hands on you? This will not hurt.”

Lúthien smiled, “I know you would never hurt me. Do what you need to.”

Daeron placed both of his hands on Lúthien’s abdomen then began reciting some healing words in Doriathrin. Within a few seconds, however, he noticed something that he was not expecting, and the reason for her symptoms became painfully obvious to him. Lúthien was indeed pregnant, and he could feel the feä* beneath his fingers.

The minstrel tried not to betray his emotions. He was distraught, horrified and devastated at this finding. The elleth* that he had loved since childhood had lain with another, and she was now pregnant with his child. It was also obvious that Thranduil was the father, as Daeron could see he watched the princess with a lover’s gaze.

Now knowing exactly what was wrong, Daeron changed the words he was using to heal her in order to help her pregnancy symptoms. He was unsure whether or not to say anything in front of Thranduil, but the look on Lúthien’s face showed him that she knew exactly what was causing her troubles. It now made sense to him why she did not want a professional healer to touch her, as any healer would immediately know she was pregnant.

When Daeron was finished, he stood and backed toward the door nervously. “You should feel somewhat better now, brethil*, but I must take my leave. If you start to feel ill again, you may call on me later.”

“Thank you, Daeron.” Lúthien smiled, believing he had not figured out her ailment.

The minstrel bowed to the princess then opened the door and exited the chambers. He let out a deep sigh after he closed the door behind him and immediately made his way for the throne room. He knew he had to report this to the king immediately.

Thranduil smiled down at Lúthien. “How do you feel now?”

“Much better, thank you.”

“Good. I watched Daeron carefully, so I might be able to duplicate what he just did. Do you mind if I try?”

“Not at all.” Lúthien looked over at Thranduil, knowing that if Daeron did not figure out her secret that most certainly Thranduil would not either.

Thranduil gently placed his hands on Lúthien’s abdomen and began chanting. As soon as the second word was out of his mouth, however, he stopped and stared down at his hands, then at Lúthien’s face in shock. Lúthien’s face turned a beet red, and she closed her eyes, though with her words she pretended to be clueless. “What is the matter, Thranduil? Is something wrong?”

The handsome elf was breathing hard, and his eyes welled with tears. His hands did not move as he felt the feä within the princess and knew that this feä was separate from hers. It took several seconds before he could get any words out, then he looked directly into Lúthien’s eyes. “You…you are…” He stopped to catch his breath. 

“Not dying, surely. What am I?” Lúthien asked, trying not to betray her growing fear.

“You are with child.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daeron becomes exceptionally depressed until he realizes what really awaits him in his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * aran nîn = my king  
> hîr nîn = my lord  
> feä = spirit (in this case a fetal spirit)  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> meleth nîn = my love  
> amin mela lle = I love you

Daeron bolted for the throne room immediately upon leaving Thranduil and Lúthien’s chambers. The princess was pregnant with Thranduil’s child, and the king needed to know. It was his duty to report something like this even though he knew Lúthien would object. It was his last resort for breaking up the couple so that he could be with the woman he loved, and he had no other choice.

The minstrel waited at the entrance of the throne room until the guards allowed him in then slowly walked up to the king. King Thingol looked down at him curiously, unused to seeing the minstrel anywhere except under a tree with his flute. “Daeron? Is something wrong? What brings you into Menegroth?”

Daeron bowed before the king and started to explain himself. “Aran nîn*…I came into the caves to seek a healer for myself, and I ran into Thranduil on my way out of the healing chambers. He was looking for a healer for the princess, and he asked for my assistance. Lúthien was unconscious when I was brought to her.”

The king gasped loudly and ordered all of the guards out of the throne room so that he would be left completely alone with Daeron. If his daughter was ill, he did not wish for the guards to be present for the discussion. “What is wrong with my daughter?” the king asked anxiously, “Is she awake now?”

“Yes. I was able to wake her by playing some flute music, and then I offered to help heal her ailments.”

“And did you heal her?” The king jumped out of his seat. “I must go see her.”

“Wait, please. There is more I need to tell you, first.”

King Thingol stopped and looked curiously at Daeron. “Continue…”

“I was able to make the princess more comfortable and ease her symptoms, and I was also able to diagnose what is ailing her. I did not say anything to her, though, because I have a feeling she knows why she is sick.”

“And why is she sick?” the king inquired.

Daeron spoke softly, almost shaking with nerves, “She is with child, hîr nîn*.”

King Thingol stared at Daeron for several moments without speaking. His mouth refused to move as his mind went over what the minstrel had just said. “She…my daughter…is with child?” he repeated.

The minstrel nodded, “Yes. I could feel the feä* within her as I attempted to heal her dizziness and nausea. It is obvious the pregnancy is causing her discomfort.”

A grin quickly spread across the king’s face. “I am going to be a grandfather!” He stopped suddenly and looked at Daeron. “Who is the father? Tell me! Is it you?” He glared, which nearly terrified the minstrel.

“No! Of course not! I believe…I fear…it is Thranduil.”

The king clapped his hands with delight. “Are you sure?”

Daeron was taken aback by the king’s reaction of glee. “Not completely, but it was obvious to me how concerned he was for your daughter’s wellbeing.”

“Very good, very good. Please do not tell anyone else of your suspicions. I must confirm this with my daughter and Thranduil first.”

The minstrel nodded in shock, realizing that the king was actually happy about this and not angry as he had originally expected. This only served to further spiral him into a depression, and he ached to run from the room and let out his anguish. “M…may I please be dismissed?” Daeron squeaked.

“Yes, you may. Thank you for your report,” the king responded jovially, not realizing the damage he had caused to Daeron’s feelings.

Daeron bowed to the king without responding, knowing he could not speak without bursting into tears. He walked somewhat calmly toward the doors, but as soon as he exited the throne room he ran for the gates to the forest.

Tears flew off of Daeron’s cheeks as he bolted, his legs taking him to his favorite tree where he could be alone with his sorrow. He had lost the woman he had loved as long as he could remember, and he feared he would never find anyone he cared for as much. He was also convinced that he had imagined the beautiful Erulassë, which made him cry harder.

Erulassë was sitting in Daeron’s favorite tree and watched him as he ran. She could tell that he was in anguish and waited for him to sit before hopping out of the tree. “Daeron? Is something the matter?” she asked.

Daeron looked over at her in awe. “Erulassë! Are…are you real?” He extended his hand to touch her face just to be sure.

“Of course I am real! Why would you think I was not?” She placed her own hand over his, enjoying the feel of his fingers on her skin.

“You disappeared the other night before I awoke in the morning. I feared I had imagined you.”

“I am sorry. I did not mean to do that. The princess was coming, and I did not wish to be found. But you are most certainly not imagining me.” The beautiful elleth*gently took the minstrel’s hand off her face and held it tightly. “Tell me what is wrong. Why do you cry thus?”

The minstrel wiped the tears from his face with his free hand and looked over at her. “I had feared I would be alone forever. I do not believe I will ever find true love, and I…I just…need to be held.” He signed deeply.

Erulassë blushed a light pink and looked down. “I am here, so do not cry. I will hold you.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “And do not despair, for true love may be closer than you think.”

Daeron looked at her curiously and asked, “Do you really think so?”

The beautiful elleth nodded slowly, biting her lip, then looked away as her face turned a bright pink. 

Daeron took a finger and placed it gently on her chin, moving it so that he could look her in the eyes. “Then I will try to be glad.” He took a deep breath as the nearness of their faces was causing his heart to beat wildly. The minstrel briefly lost control of his actions and brought his lips to hers then gently pressed them together.

The elleth gasped slightly, not expecting this show of affection but greatly appreciating it. She kissed back as she smiled and gripped his hand tighter. After a moment she pulled away and rested her forehead on his. “I have never been kissed before,” she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else.

“Well now you have. And if I have your leave, I would kiss you again,” Daeron spoke sweetly to her in a soft murmur then brought his hand to her cheek and explored it with his thumb, caressing her soft skin.

Erulassë shivered at his touch and nuzzled into it while closing her eyes. “You may kiss me any time and as often as you wish, Daeron.”

Daeron let out a soft moan at the permission being granted to him and bent over to kiss her passionately, lowering her body to the ground as he did so. Erulassë tensed her body nervously, unsure she was ready for what was to come. “Do not be afraid, meleth nîn*,” Daeron reassured her, “I will not do anything you are uncomfortable with.”

The elleth smiled at him and moved so that they could lie next to one another. “I know, and I feel the same way. But I ache to be close to you. I still wish to pleasure you…to see you smile and hear you cry out in ecstasy.” Erulassë ran her hands over the ties in Daeron’s shirt, undoing them as she went along. The minstrel trembled and blushed then raised his arms over his head so she could remove his shirt easily.

As soon as Daeron’s chest was exposed he reached over, unbuttoned Erulassë’s blouse and pulled it from her shoulders. He swallowed harshly at the sight of her firm bosom, as he had never seen an elleth even half-naked before. The minstrel bit his lip then tentatively kissed her neck, nibbling it gently.

Erulassë twitched as Daeron’s lips touched her sensitive collarbone and urged him to move his kisses farther down. Daeron obliged with a slight smile and hovered his mouth over one of her nipples before lightly licking it. The elleth’s body arched, which encouraged the minstrel to keep licking. His tongue trailed down her abdomen and licked a circle around her navel.

The young elleth let out a soft whimper of pleasure as Daeron’s expert tongue worked its magic. “Lower…” she begged him.

Daeron untied the bow on the elleth’s skirt and lowered it to her ankles. He parted her legs and moved himself between them then looked up into her eyes with a soft smile. Erulassë bit her lip nervously as her cheeks turned a reddish-pink. The minstrel brought his face in between her legs and placed his tongue right atop her nub, which made the elleth hiss in pleasure.

The elf moved his tongue in quick circles, flicking it over her sensitive nub. Erulassë could not help but move her hips with his actions. She quickly grabbed the back of Daeron’s head and entangled her fingers in his hair, bringing his face into even more contact with her womanhood. 

The minstrel placed his tongue into the elleth’s opening and brought it rapidly inside, now using his fingers to massage her nub. Erulassë opened her eyes wide at the change and moved her hips more quickly and forcefully against her lover. “That…that feels…oh Eru…”

Daeron grinned inwardly at the effect he was having on the Erulassë. Perhaps practicing the flute gave his mouth some expertise in pleasuring female elves. He was glad, because he was looking forward to making Erulassë scream, and each whimper of hers was arousing him further.

With every motion of Daeron’s tongue inside her, Erulassë moaned slightly louder, her peak building. “Daeron,” she groaned, knowing what this increase in pleasure meant, “I…I am getting close…”

The minstrel gently stroked her outer thighs, knowing she was near to climax. His fingers were dripping wet with her juices, and he used them to increase the speed of his rubbing. Erulassë moaned repeatedly and gripped his head even tighter. She could no longer control her hips as they thrust against his face.

Erulassë’s clenched her eyes tightly and she cried out as Daeron’s tongue brought forth her climax, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body like nothing she had ever experienced before. She screamed his name over and over until she collapsed onto the ground, totally spent.

Daeron licked his lover clean of her juices then moved to cuddle her, his own member throbbing painfully with arousal. Erulassë panted as she caught her breath and held Daeron close. “It has never felt like that before…ever.”

The minstrel bit his lip to keep from chuckling. “It was that good?” he smirked. “Y…you could give me one just by touching me at this point. I am so aroused…” He blushed a deep shade of scarlet and looked away in embarrassment.

Erulassë glanced over at him and could see a large bulge in his pants. She giggled nervously and reached to pull down his trousers, immediately freeing his aching shaft with a slight bounce. Daeron groaned, burning to feel Erulassë touch it. “Please…” he begged, furrowing his eyebrows.

The elleth smiled at him and clasped her hand around his length, drawing a shuddering moan from his lips. As her hand moved gently over it she could feel it become impossibly hard, and it twitched beneath her fingers. She bent her head down and opened her mouth to take in the tip of his shaft as she massaged the base.

Daeron gave a strangled yell. “I…am not…going to…last…” He bucked his hips upward, knowing he could not hold back the climax that threatened. He was already so aroused, and just the feel of Erulassë’s lips was enough to cause his peak.

Erulassë moved her hands as quickly as she could and gently licked around the tip of his member, tasting the juices that preceded his climax. “You do not have to hold it,” she replied, anxious to see his pleasure erupt.

With permission granted to him, Daeron relaxed and almost immediately he began to spurt his sticky juices onto Erulassë’s hands and face. He cried out as he continued to cum for much longer than was his usual.

The elleth gasped in shock and nearly took in a mouthful of his liquid as she did not realize how much would come pouring out of him. She kept watching in awe until his body relaxed and he laid there panting for breath. “How was it?” she asked tentatively.

Daeron could not answer for a moment as he caught his breath. When he was finally able to do anything, he did not speak but rather pulled her face to his and kissed her deeply. “Amin mela lle*, Erulassë.”

“Amin mela lle,” she repeated back to him with a soft smile before lying down to hold him in her arms.

“That was incredible,” Daeron assured her, “and I do not want you to hide from the elves of Menegroth any longer. Someday I hope to bind with you, and I want everyone to know it.”

Erulassë looked at the minstrel in surprise, knowing the meaning of his words. “You mean that?”

Daeron nodded. “I cannot imagine being with anyone else…not now that I know what true love means.”

The beautiful elleth relaxed into her lover’s arms. “Nor can I,” she answered simply, closing her eyes as she began to fall asleep.

The minstrel gently kissed Erulassë’s forehead before closing his own eyes. His breathing steadied as he neared sleep, no longer feeling broken.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil, Lúthien, King Thingol, and Oropher discuss the news of Lúthien's pregnancy in various ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * feä = spirit (in this case a fetal spirit)  
> maia = lesser diety, like an angel but not  
> Eglador = Doriathrin name for Doriath  
> elleth = female elf/elves  
> meleth nîn = my love

Lúthien closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. One the one hand she was happy beyond reckoning. She was pregnant with Thranduil’s child, and it was more than she could have wished for. But on the other hand she was terrified. She knew her mother would be furious and most likely would still not allow them to marry. Her child would be born out of wedlock.

Thranduil wept openly, his sobs nearly choking him. He had no fears or regrets, only overwhelming joy. He gently caressed Lúthien’s abdomen so he could continue to feel the feä* within her.

The princess sighed lightly and put a hand over Thranduil’s. “What are we going to do?” she asked plainly, attempting to bury her feelings.

“What do you mean?” Thranduil looked up into his lover’s eyes. “I have never been so happy in my entire life. You have given me the greatest gift of them all. What are we going to do? We are going to celebrate this new life.”

Lúthien smiled slightly, not wishing to put a damper on Thranduil’s joy but still not able to feel the same kind of happiness. “You know what my mother is going to do when she finds out? She will kill you, and I will have nothing left.”

The young elf shook his head. “I do not believe she would go that far. You really think that even though we are having a child together she would still refuse our request to marry?”

“I know my mother. I have known her for thousands of years, and she is not one to change her mind. So yes, I believe she will continue to refuse us regardless of us having a baby together.”

Thranduil looked away for a moment, trying to think up some way for them to be together without involving the queen. But Lúthien knew that she would not be able to hide a pregnancy from her mother. It would not matter if she were not yet noticeably pregnant as Melian was a maia* and would be able to sense the feä without even touching her daughter.

Suddenly, Thranduil looked over at the princess with a mischievous glint in his eye. “I have an idea.”

“I am listening.”

“Your parents know how much you enjoy wandering about Eglador*, so it would not be unusual for you to decide to leave once again.”

“Yes, this is true. But how would you manage to come with me? They would notice you were missing.”

Thranduil pursed his lips in thought. “Well, your father approves of our relationship, so perhaps he could send me to a post outside of Menegroth.”

“My mother would be so suspicious of this. She is not stupid.”

“I never said she was! But…I am just trying to help.” Thranduil sighed and put his head in his hands.

Lúthien gently stroked the young elf’s temple and ran her fingers through the strands of hair that ran down the side of his face. “I know you are, and it is a decent plan. It may be the only plan, to be honest. We can probably convince my father to send you away, and he could tell my mother that he finally agreed with her and was trying to split us up. Then I could become angry and storm off, not to be seen for a hundred years…until our child had long grown up.”

“That is a brilliant idea. I love it! But I worry about us being alone in the wilderness with you pregnant. I do not know anything about such womanly things.”

The princess smiled. “We do not have to remain in the wilderness. We are free to come and go through the borders of the forest, and perhaps we could make our way to Nargothrond. They would not know that we are not married, and we would be welcomed as kin.”

Thranduil bent over and placed a small kiss on the princess’s lips. “How are you so smart?”

Lúthien giggled and shrugged her shoulders. “I was born this way, I suppose.”

The two elves laughed for a moment, then Thranduil took the beautiful elleth’s* hand. “Do you feel well enough to get up? We should go to see your father as soon as possible.”

The princess carefully sat up and nodded. “Yes. Daeron did a wonderful job with his healing skills, and I feel almost normal.”

A smile spread across Thranduil’s face. “That is good, because I was sorely worried about you. The thought of you feeling ill was tearing at me from the inside.”

“You do not need to worry about me, meleth nîn*. I am quite strong.”

Thranduil nodded. “You may be so, but that will not keep me from worrying about you. If I ever lost you, I do not know how I would go on. I would lose all will to live.”

Lúthien frowned and put a finger over the handsome elf’s lips. “Please do not say things like this. No matter what happens, you must go on, for I have foreseen your own greatness many thousands of years from now.”

“You have seen what lies ahead?”

“Only small fragments, but I cannot tell you more.”

Thranduil smiled softly. “I can accept that. I only hope that you saw yourself at my side through all of those thousands of years.”

Lúthien did not answer, as she saw no one at Thranduil’s side, but that did not mean that she would not be there. She took a deep breath and brought her legs over the edge of the bed nearest to Thranduil. “We will go speak to the king. The sooner we are able to leave, the better. Because if my mother and I are in the same room, all will be lost. She will sense the baby’s feä and that will be the end of our ruse.”

“We will make sure she is not in the throne room when we speak with your father. Or perhaps I should have him come here?”

“No. I need to appear fully healthy or he may also become suspicious.” Lúthien slowly moved off of the bed while holding onto Thranduil’s arm then stood still for a moment to be sure that she would not become dizzy. The princess took a deep breath and nodded that she was ready to go.

The two elves departed the chambers arm in arm, watching carefully for any sign of Melian on the way to the throne room. They walked slowly, and within a few minutes they were standing at the gilded doors.

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As soon as Daeron had departed the throne room, King Thingol sat back in his throne with a large grin. He knew the minstrel was telling the truth for there was no lie in his eyes, and a pregnancy was something he himself would be able to easily confirm just by laying one hand on his daughter. The king hopped off of his throne and opened the doors of the throne room. He ordered one of the guards to fetch Oropher as quickly as possible, and when Oropher arrived he made certain that they were entirely alone before he closed the doors behind them.

Oropher looked curiously at the king, as he only rarely was summoned so quickly, and he almost never spoke with the king entirely alone. “What has happened?” he asked nervously.

King Thingol could not help but grin. “We must have a drink!”

“A…a what? You called me here in such haste to have some wine?” Oropher was entirely confused and looked it.

“It is necessary to celebrate on occasions such as this,” the king answered cryptically.

Oropher wanted to shout at the king to be plainer, but he resisted. “What kind of occasion is this?” he asked, his eyebrows raised almost impossibly high.

“You are going to be a grandfather.”

The king’s counselor gave the king a look of total shock. “WHAT?”

King Thingol was so happy that he could not resist laughing and was even tempted to jump into the air. “Yes! I just found out that Lúthien is with child, and Thranduil is most definitely the father,” the king spoke confidently even though he had not yet confirmed this with his daughter.

“I need to sit down,” Oropher was having some trouble digesting this news.

“No, you need a drink! We must celebrate!”

“But…what about the queen? Does she yet know of this?” Oropher was still wary and knew that the queen could very easily ruin their joy.

“Of course not. Do you really think I would tell her? Obviously she will find out eventually, but first we need to figure out how to tell her to make her see that Lúthien and Thranduil must be wed.”

“I fear it will not be so easy.”

King Thingol sighed wearily. “No, it will not be easy, but I do not wish to think about that right now. At this very moment my daughter pregnant with your son’s child, and that makes us expectant grandfathers. That means we must celebrate! Bring out the wine!”

Oropher could not continue to argue with the king, and he did wish to rejoice at this news. He was as happy as King Thingol, but he feared the queen in ways the king did not. Oropher bowed to the king before quickly running to the wine cellar for two bottles of their finest vintage then swiftly brought them back. He popped both open and handed one to the king.

“You read my mind. Glasses are not necessary here!” The king grinned and took a long draught of the wine.

The king’s counselor could not help but laugh and take a drink from his own bottle. The red liquid burned slightly as he swallowed, but he did not care. The taste refreshed him, and the alcohol made him feel a bit more joyful about the circumstances.

“Come and sit by me,” the king ordered his counselor, “You can take the queen’s throne!”

With his inhibitions slightly affected by the drink, Oropher gladly plunked himself down into the queen’s space and took another draught from his wine. “Why thank you! This is much more comfortable.”

“Anything for my co-grandfather-to-be!” King Thingol clapped Oropher on the shoulder merrily.

The king’s counselor smiled and looked over at the king. “How did you find out about this? Did my son tell you?”

“Actually, no. I have not yet spoken to our children about their news.”

“What? Then how do you know that this is true?” Oropher asked incredulously.

“I was told by a reliable messenger who felt the feä within my daughter himself. There is no question that the child is Thranduil’s. She has no interest in any other elf.”

Oropher nodded. “That is quite true. It was obvious from when they met that there was something between them. Apparently they enjoy sharing a bedroom.”

King Thingol laughed. “You realize I still have yet to provide them with separate bedrooms.”

“Honestly, I do not think we need to give them separate bedrooms at this point.”

“No, we don’t.” Both the king and his counselor laughed heartily, but their happiness was cut short by the sound of a commotion outside of the throne room doors.

Lúthien and Thranduil were being told by the guards that the king was not to be disturbed. The two elves continued to insist that it was of the utmost importance that they be seen immediately, and the arguments continued to become louder. The uproar reached the ears of the king inside, and he sent Oropher to find out what was going on.

The king’s counselor opened the door to find his son and the princess standing there at odds with the guards. He was shocked to see the two of them and attempted to hide his wine bottle behind his back. The two lovers were equally as surprised to see Oropher, and the noise in the hallway fell silent.

King Thingol did not bother to hide his wine and took a long drink before calling out that Thranduil and Lúthien should be allowed inside with Oropher. It was time to make sure there was something to celebrate.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lúthien and Thranduil attempt to convince King Thingol to send them to Nargothrond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * Ada = Daddy  
> Naneth = Mother  
> feä = spirit (in this case a fetal spirit)  
> Eglador = Doriathrin name for Doriath  
> Aran nîn = my king  
> maia = lesser diety, like an angel but not

King Thingol sat comfortably on his throne and looked down at the three elves standing in front of him. He figured his daughter was here to announce her pregnancy and wished to hear about it from her own lips. He attempted not to smile so as not to give away the fact that he already knew about it, and he was also prepared with a good excuse as to why he had been drinking the good wine.

“What errand brings you to see me, Lúthien?” the king asked with faked curiosity.

“We have a favor to ask of you, Ada*.”

The king looked noticeably confused as that was not the response he had been expecting. “A favor? What sort of favor?” he asked this time with genuine curiosity.

Lúthien looked at Thranduil for support then back at her father. “We know that you and Thranduil’s father support our wishes to be together, and we were hoping that you might be able to help us to achieve that goal.”

King Thingol pursed his lips and put his fingers to his mouth. He gave a small nod and spoke, “Go on.”

“Well, we were thinking that you could send Thranduil on an errand or assign him to a post outside of Menegroth. Possibly you could even send him away to Nargothrond. Then I could follow him in feigned anger. Naneth* would think that you were on her side, and it would allow for the two of us to be together.” With that thought the princess reached over and grasped Thranduil’s hand.

Thranduil’s fingers curled around his lovers as they watched the king and awaited his response. The king sat in thought for several moments. He had been wondering if the couple would tell him about the pregnancy or if he was going to have to drag it out of them, and now he figured they were actually attempting to keep it from him entirely. One touch of his daughter’s skin would allow him to sense a baby’s feä if one were present within her, so he knew he would need to confirm this before forcing a confession.

“Lúthien, can you step forward a moment, please?” the king asked, trying not to arouse suspicion.

The princess, unaware of her father’s ulterior motives, moved toward the throne and stood by his side. King Thingol extended his hand and took hers in his lovingly. He took a few slow breaths as he reached out his consciousness and searched for the life within her. He sensed the feä almost immediately and could not help but smile. 

The king looked up at his daughter with confidence and asked, “Is there a reason that you feel you two must run from Menegroth? Naneth knows that you and Thranduil are in love, and though she has forbidden you to marry she is not interfering otherwise. Why leave home?”

Lúthien was momentarily stumped for a response. She was not ready to confess her pregnancy and she underestimated her father’s sensing abilities. Thranduil answered for her, “We merely wish to live together without the queen looking down on us. If we go to Nargothrond then we would be with kin who would not know that there was any opposition to our relationship.”

King Thingol nodded, now stroking his chin. Apparently getting a confession was going to take more effort than he was already putting in. “While that is a good plan, I feel there is something that you are not telling us.” He motioned to Oropher and back to himself in succession.

Lúthien blushed a dark pink and gave Thranduil a look that screamed ‘help me!’ The young elf shrugged, walked over to the princess, and put his arm around her waist. He then glanced up at the king and asked, “What do you mean? What do you believe we could be keeping from you? We do not have secrets.”

The king raised both his eyebrows and his voice. “Do you not? You believe you can keep things from the king and not call them secrets?”

The princess looked down and whispered to no one in particular, “He knows.”

“My beautiful daughter…please look up at me,” the king pleaded.

Lúthien gazed up at her father, a tinge of fear in her eyes. “Yes?”

“What do you think I know? I wish to hear it directly from you rather than attempt to make a guess.”

The princess mumbled, “You know that I am with child.”

King Thingol grinned happily. “Yes, I knew this even before you walked in. And, well, now I know for certain. I am so happy for you.”

“You…what?” Lúthien’s eyes widened in shock. “You are happy about this?”

“Of course I am! Oropher and I are both thrilled about our grandchild-to-be!”

“You know about this? But how? We only just found out ourselves and have told no one!” Thranduil chimed in, staring at his father.

Oropher shrugged his shoulders, “I was told only moments ago by the king.”

“And I cannot reveal my source,” the king added, “But it does not matter, as the child’s feä gave himself away the moment I touched the princess.”

“You could sense it?” The Lúthien’s eyes widened, and she swallowed harshly, now realizing that more elves than she realized had this gift. Perhaps even all elves could sense a feä in this way. This meant that Daeron knew, and he must be the informant.

“Yes, I could sense it. Now the question remains, what are we going to do with this bit of knowledge? Naneth will find out soon enough. If I can sense a feä with one touch, she can just about smell one down the hall and around the corner. We will not be able to keep this secret for long.”

“Then send us away!” Lúthien pleaded, “It is our only hope and our only chance.”

King Thingol looked at his daughter in anguish. “You truly believe I would send you into the wilderness? And on top of that you would believe I would do it while you are pregnant with my grandchild? I would rather you not leave the caves of Menegroth at all in this state.”

“You must be joking. You know I wither in these halls. I need to be able to go outside!”

“Yes, I know this,” the king agreed, “which is why I am not forbidding you to leave Menegroth. But I still do not want you to leave Eglador* or really to venture far from our halls. Having leave to go outside is one thing, but traveling to the borders is quite another.”

“Then all will be lost. The moment Naneth finds out about the pregnancy, she will do something horrid to Thranduil. I cannot live without him!” Lúthien buried her face in her hands, trying desperately not to cry. 

Thranduil held his lover tighter and spoke up, “Aran nîn, this is an impossible situation. I fear for my life. You saw how the queen reacted when she caught Lúthien and me in bed together, and nothing had actually happened that eve. I can only imagine what she may do when she finds out that Lúthien and I conceived a child together.”

The king nodded, “This is all understood. I know my wife better than anyone, and I also know she will be quite angry.” He sighed heavily and thought for a moment before continuing. “There are ways for me to send you to Nargothrond and be sure you reach there safely, but I want to be in my grandchild’s life as well. I cannot leave my realm, nor do I wish to, but if I let you go can you promise me to return after your child is born? Or at the very least to send him here when he is of age? I would not need to tell the queen of his parentage.”

Lúthien replied, “I cannot tell the future, Ada. I do not know if we would ever be able to return, though if you continued to talk to Naneth about allowing us to be together then we might be able to come back one day.”

“That is true. Naneth will miss you, and I believe she would wish for you to return. It may be easier to persuade her to allow you to be together if the only other option is to have you both so far away.”

“Then you will help us?” Thranduil chimed in hopefully.

King Thingol sighed heavily before speaking. “Yes…yes, I will help you. I only wish the best for both of you and a healthy grandchild. I will tell the queen that I am sending Oropher, Thranduil and several of the guards to Nargothrond. Oropher and Thranduil, you will stay there with Lúthien and the baby. I would not dream of taking this child away from both of his grandfathers.”

“Thank you,” Oropher said with a soft smile and a bow in the king’s direction.

“Of course! As for Lúthien…” the king pondered for a moment.

“I will feign fierce anger and follow after them, taking a guard with me. I will find them somewhat close by and will join their party as they travel,” the princess offered.

The king nodded, “That is an excellent plan. But how are we to do this without you and Naneth ever seeing one another? This part is the truly difficult one.”

Thranduil looked from Lúthien to the king. “Perhaps we should leave immediately. The princess, my father and I will pack whatever we need for the journey, and you can alert whichever guards will be accompanying us.”

“That is very wise. You would make a good king, did you know that?” King Thingol smiled kindly at the young elf, making him blush slightly.

“Thank you. Though for me to be king would require something I do not wish to happen.” Thranduil stole a glance at his own father and gave a soft sigh. “We will take your leave now. When should we meet at the stables?”

Oropher walked over to his son. “I can be ready in less than an hour and will meet you at the stables then.” He glanced up at the king who nodded that he could be excused. Oropher then quickly exited the throne room and closed the door behind him.

King Thingol gazed down at his daughter and her mate. “I will do what I can to allow for your return. Please take care of yourselves and your child. I can only hope that I will be able to convince Naneth that you should be able to come back even before you give birth.”

“A year passes quickly, Ada. But I will hope as well.” Lúthien grasped Thranduil’s hand and bowed to her father.

Thranduil bowed as well before leading the princess out of the throne room and to their shared chambers. They would both need to pack quickly and find Oropher at the stables before an hour was up, and even then Melian could still find them and disrupt their plans. But it was a risk they had to take in order to be together.

As soon as the two younger elves left the throne room King Thingol sat back in his throne and closed his eyes. He stayed still for several minutes thinking about the lies he was going to need to tell his wife and knowing how well she could see through him. As a maia* she had powers that he could only dream of, and it sometimes made his life a bit difficult. At times he thought she could even read minds, though that should be impossible.

His thoughts were jarred by the opening of the throne room doors. He was not expecting any visitors, and he knew he would need to be at the stables to see off Oropher and Thranduil and stage a fight with his daughter. The king opened his eyes to a sight he did not expect and cursed under his breath. Things were about to get a lot more complicated.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All heck breaks loose when King Thingol and his surprise visitor arrive at the stables.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Sindarin/Elvish words in this chapter are starred in the text when they first appear and are translated here:
> 
> * Naneth = Mother  
> Ada = Daddy  
> feä = spirit (in this case a fetal spirit)  
> Eglador = Doriathrin name for Doriath

Melian swept into the throne room, unaware of the horrified look her husband was giving her. She strode over to her throne and sat down before looking over at the king, who had almost recovered from the shock of seeing her.

“Are you all right?” Melian asked, noticing that Thingol still appeared to be slightly nervous, “You look a bit put off. Did I interrupt something? I see no one else here.”

“No, no one else is here at the moment,” he replied, trying to quickly come up with an excuse for the bottle of wine still within his grip.

“Are you celebrating something?” The queen pointed to the wine bottle. “And did you save any for me?”

Thingol laughed joyfully, waving the empty bottle at his wife. “Unfortunately not. I was actually having a bit of a farewell celebration, if you could call it that. It was more somber than celebratory.”

Melian looked curiously at her husband. “Who is leaving?”

“Well, after much contemplation, I decided that Oropher and Thranduil should be sent away from our lands. I will miss my main counselor greatly, but I know how much you are against Thranduil and Lúthien’s relationship, and I had to do something drastic. I hope you are not angry with me.” Thingol lied through his teeth, hoping Melian could not see right through him.

Melian was so delighted with this that she did not realize Thingol’s betrayal. “Angry? Not at all! I believe you have made the right decision in this matter. I am only nervous about how Lúthien will take the news. Have you told her yet?”

The king shook his head. “No, I have not. I do not plan to tell her until the two of them are well beyond our borders. I fear she might do something drastic otherwise.”

“Yes, that is wise. She would probably attempt to follow them. Where are you sending them?”

“I would rather not say, as the fewer people who know where they are headed the less likely it is that Lúthien would be able to track and find them.”

“I see.” The queen furrowed her brow. “But I am not just anyone, so surely you can confide in me where they are going.”

King Thingol was momentarily stumped. He would rather not tell the queen where Oropher and Thranduil were traveling to, but he also did not want to outwardly lie about it. He was already fibbing quite a bit, and he was afraid he would be caught more readily the more he spoke about it. “I would rather not say. I know you dislike Thranduil and want to be assured of his safety.”

The queen gasped, “Do you really think I would attempt to harm him?” She looked daggers at her husband.

“Not at this point I do not, but I do not wish to involve you in this any more than necessary because of how you feel about him.”

“I do not hate Thranduil, if that is what you are thinking. I am against a relationship between him and our daughter only because of what I have foreseen, not because I am against Thranduil in general. I hope you know that!”

The king nodded slowly. “Yes, I know that, but I would rather keep their whereabouts quiet. Please do not ask me to reveal it again.”

“Fine,” Melian answered harshly. “When do they leave?”

“They are preparing to depart immediately. I am going to meet them to officially see them off in just a few minutes.”

Melian’s eyes widened as she looked at her husband. “So quickly? But why the rush? Surely I have no plans to murder Thranduil in his sleep,” she joked.

The king attempted a chuckle, though he was too nervous to actually laugh. “No, no, of course you do not. But Oropher and I decided that the sooner our children are separated the better it would be for everyone involved. It has only been a few days and they have already grown so close. I fear the longer we wait for them to leave the harder it will be for the two of them to part.”

“Yes, of course. That makes sense,” Melian agreed.

King Thingol was shocked that it actually made sense to her, because he had just been babbling. He was beginning to think that she would believe anything since this is what she wanted so much. “Thank you,” he replied, “Well, I must be off to say my final goodbye to Oropher. I will be back shortly.”

The king stood up, and the queen stood with him. “That is all right. I will come with you.”

“What?” Thingol answered a bit too quickly.

Melian raised her eyebrows. “I will come to see them off as well. Surely you do not think I would wait here while your most trusted advisor and his son are leaving our borders, possibly for good!”

“But…but…I…” the king stuttered as he was unable to come up with a good excuse as to why his wife should not join him at the stables.

“But what? Is there some reason I should not say farewell to them?” The queen looked incredulously at her husband.

Thingol shook his head furiously. “N…no. Why would you think that? I just…need you to…to find Lúthien and make sure she’s kept away from the gates. I do not want her knowing what is going on.” The king wanted to send his wife as far from the stables as possible so that she would not be able to find Lúthien before she left.

The king’s stuttering alarmed Melian, and she was starting to get the feeling that something else was happening that she was previously unaware of. “You do not sound so sure of yourself. I believe I should come with you to say my own goodbyes.”

“But Thranduil is afraid of you. Are you sure you want his last moments in Menegroth to be fearful?” The king threw out the best excuse he could come up with at short notice.

Melian raised her voice slightly. “That is utter nonsense! I will have no more of this. I will join you at the gates to see off our friends, and that is final.” The queen was now convinced that her husband was keeping something from her, and the only way she was going to find out what it was would be to join him.

King Thingol sighed resolutely. “All right, but if Lúthien finds us there, I can only imagine how angry she is going to be with us.”

“I will take that chance,” the queen replied as she made her way toward the throne room doors.

The king followed his wife out of the throne room, trying to keep up with her long,quick strides. He was beyond terrified at what was about to happen, and it felt as though he was walking through mud. He knew that Lúthien would be at the stables with Thranduil and Oropher, and most likely not only would the queen figure out that he had been lying to her, but she would also find out about the princess’s pregnancy. 

When the royal couple arrived at the stables Thranduil and Oropher had already saddled the horses were now packing them. The other guardsmen who would be joining them were lining up at the gates. The king looked around frantically for Lúthien and spotted her standing behind Thranduil as she helped him strap his bags onto his horse.

Melian also spotted the couple and looked at them curiously. She had not expected to find Lúthien here, nor did the princess seem to be particularly distressed about Thranduil’s imminent departure. The queen thought this to be very suspicious. She walked over to the pair who glanced over at her with deep fear.

“Naneth!*” Lúthien exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same question. I thought you did not know about Thranduil and Oropher’s departure,” the queen replied.

Lúthien had to think fast and decided an ignorant approach would be best. “Why would I not come to wish them well on their hunt?”

“Their hunt?” Melian looked furiously from Lúthien to the king and back. “I was told they were being sent away…permanently.”

The princess knew it was time for her to play her part and burst out in ferocious anger. “Being sent away? What are you talking about? Ada*, what is she talking about?”

King Thingol was impressed with his daughter’s response and played along. “I…I am sending Thranduil and Oropher to the north, and they do not have plans to return.”

Lúthien laid it on thickly. She clutched her hand to her chest and opened her eyes as wide as she could. “But Thranduil told me they were just going hunting for a few days! You cannot send them away! I will saddle my own horse and go with them.”

“You will do no such thing,” the queen replied. “They are being sent away for your own good. You will stay here and live your life. One day your true love will come and will sweep you off your feet. You need only wait for him here.”

The princess turned away, seething. “Do not speak to me of true love, for you know nothing of it!”

Melian grabbed her daughter’s arm and turned the princess to face her. Until this time the queen had been so preoccupied with the argument that she had not noticed the extra feä*. There were many guards standing around, and she had not bothered to count everyone. But the second she touched Lúthien’s arm, she could feel the baby’s feä within her almost like a pulsing shock. She let go of her daughter’s arm as if she had been burned and glared at her.

“Is there something you wish to tell me, Lúthien?” Melian gritted her teeth, withholding a scream of anger.

Lúthien looked frightened and moved toward Thranduil. With that one movement Melian lost control of her emotions. She extended her hand and sent a blast of energy toward the young elf that blew him off his feet and knocked him against a tree.

“I ask you again! Do you have something to tell me?” The queen spoke much louder this time, breathing heavily.

The princess ignored her mother and rushed over to Thranduil’s side. He was knocked out and on the ground, but the rise and fall of his chest showed her that he was still alive. 

Melian followed her to where Thranduil was lying. “He is still alive, but not for much longer if you do not speak to me.” The queen extended her hand and aimed it directly over Thranduil’s heart.

“Naneth, please stop!” Lúthien cried out and dropped to Thranduil’s side. She lay across his chest so that her mother was forced to withdraw her hand. Melian would not risk harming her daughter or her unborn grandchild no matter how angry she was.

The queen spoke slowly and with deep feeling. “Tell me now. I want to hear it from your mouth. You are keeping something from me, and I demand to know what it is.”

Lúthien looked up at her mother and took a deep breath. “Judging by the way you are acting, you already know what it is.”

“And I have said I want to hear you tell me. So say it.”

The princess mumbled, “I am with child.”

Hearing the words spoken aloud caused Melian to scream in horror, anger and despair. “I knew this would happen! I had foreseen it and could not prevent it!”

Lúthien stood up and looked at her mother incredulously. “If you had foreseen it then you of all people should have known you could not prevent it. You should have known this was meant to be. This child is destined for great things, and you should be happy that this has happened!”

The queen sighed heavily, “You will have another child that is even more important to the fate of this world, but he will not be Thranduil’s child.”

“How can you say something like that?” Lúthien exploded and protectively rubbed her belly. “This child is extremely important to the fate of this world, and you know it! Stop denying what you know to be true.” The princess bent back down and gently caressed her lover’s chest. “Wake him up. We need to leave.”

“You are not going anywhere! You are pregnant with my grandchild, and I refuse to let you out of Eglador*.”

“You cannot keep me here,” Lúthien argued.

The queen furrowed her brow. “Who exactly is the keeper of these borders again? Who allows travelers to pass through the forest? It is called the Girdle of Melian for a reason!”

Lúthien grimaced. “Wake him up, and I will stay, but Thranduil and Oropher will stay as well.”

Melian bent down to Thranduil and put a hand over his chest. She muttered a few words which caused his eyes to flutter open. His first view was of the queen’s face just above his, and he flinched, immediately grabbing a knife from his scabbard in fear.

The queen ignored this and stood up. “I will not harm you, and you may stay. But you still may not marry my daughter, regardless of the child you may share. Do not ask me about it, as my answer will not change. One day you will be grateful for this…both of you.”

Melian turned away harshly and swept back toward the caves, and the king followed quickly behind her. She was beyond furious and planned to scream at her husband for his blatant lies until she had lost her voice entirely. The queen knew he had been in on this the whole time, and she was sorely tempted to do him bodily harm.


End file.
